Resolve II
by Ori Klossner
Summary: AU: Book II - Tempering Anakin's emotions has never been an easy task. Obi-Wan struggles to get his padawan to open up when duty again demands his attention. The Sith have been scheming for a long time, and the small clues discovered are starting to reveal big troubles.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Welcome to Book II of the Resolve series! If you haven't read Book I, you can find it by visiting my profile page.

Summary: Tempering Anakin's emotions had never been an easy task. Obi-Wan struggles to get his padawan to open up when duty again demands his attention. The Sith have been scheming for a long time, and the small clues discovered are starting to reveal big troubles.

* * *

RESOLVE II

* * *

1.

Streaks of soft golds and pinks stretched across the Coruscant skyline. The early morning light glimmered on the horizon, bringing with it the promise of another busy day on the city planet. Citybikes and airspeeders flew through the skylanes as commuters set out to continue their daily routines.

In the Jedi Temple initiates performed their morning meditations before their classes would begin. Some Padawans, Knights, and Masters were practising their lightsaber forms, while others submerged themselves in deep meditation within the Tranquillity Spire. More yet started the day with quiet contemplation in the privacy of their own quarters.

Obi-Wan Kenobi sighed.

The small domicile he shared with his nineteen year old padawan didn't see much peace these days. Ever since he'd finally tracked the young man down and saved him from Dooku's corrupting Sith influence a restlessness had settled within the walls of the Kenobi and Skywalker quarters.

Droid parts and oily rags littered one corner of the room, while small servos, bolts, hydrospanners and wires attempted to get into every nook and cranny. Obi-Wan once even found a functioning vocabulator—of all things—in the refresher.

He was going to lose his hard-earned Jedi calm.

"I should be going with you, master," Anakin said as he watched Obi-Wan step on a small piece of hard plastoid. "Oh hey I've been looking for that!"

"For stars' sake, Anakin," Obi-Wan had just about had it with the droid business. He'd indulged the young man for months now, but enough was enough. He didn't even bend down to pick up the little plastoid covering. No, instead he indulged in a very undignified use of the Force and flung it in his grinning padawan's direction. "You need to have this mess cleaned up before I return or I'll have the service droids come in here and remove everything that's not standard issue."

"I still don't see why I can't go with you," Anakin kicked a servo-coupler to the cluttered corner. Obi-Wan ignored the scuff it left on the floor in favour of keeping a cool head. _The only mastery that matters is the mastery of self,_ the Jedi Master reminded himself.

"You know why you can't, Anakin," Obi-Wan sighed and clipped his lightsaber to his side. He checked his utility belt one last time for good measure, then threw on his cloak.

"It's been four months. I'm fine!" Anakin whined in a very unbecoming and un-Jedi-like way.

Obi-Wan raised a single eyebrow and pulled his mouth into a thin line as he regarded his padawan.

"I'm sorry master," Anakin said. Obi-Wan appreciated that he didn't even need to say anything, but the apology still sounded disingenuous. "It's just. . . I'm going stir crazy being cooped up in the Temple all the time. I need to go out there and do Jedi things again."

"You can do _Jedi things_ here in the Temple, Anakin," Obi-Wan tried to reason. "In fact, I recommend it. I know you don't want to, but the sooner you reflect on what happened and come to terms with it, the sooner you can join me in the field once more."

"But I _have_ come to terms with it," Anakin argued. "You just don't want to take my word for it!"

"Getting angry only makes matters worse, Anakin. You need to convince the mind healers and the council that you're fit for duty. You've not opened up about Dooku's treatment of you. . . not even to me," Obi-Wan watched as Anakin flinched and looked away. "And until you do it's unsafe for you to be in the field."

"Why?" Anakin threw the plastoid covering in the corner. "Why would it be unsafe? There's nothing wrong with me, master."

"There might be, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, compassion shone from his eyes. "Something like post traumatic stress isn't always immediately apparent."

"And how would a perfect Jedi like you know! You don't feel anything!" Anakin yelled. He shrank back on himself almost immediately. He should have known it was unfair of him to judge his master like that.

Obi-Wan pushed the sting of Anakin's harsh words away. He needed to be patient with his padawan. The young man had always struggled with his emotions, and the long trial under the Sith's thumb would only have amplified the problem. It concerned Obi-Wan greatly, but he needed to be careful.

Jedi were not unfeeling. They simply mastered themselves to the point where an outsider could misunderstand it for a lack of emotion. That wasn't the case at all and Anakin knew better. Or at least, Obi-Wan thought he did. Perhaps he needed to show his padawan that it was all right to be vulnerable.

"I was your age when, for weeks, I was plagued by a recurring vision," Obi-Wan sat down on the only meditation cushion not occupied by a piece of one of Anakin's projects. "Qui-Gon and I had been sent to Antar IV to investigate the disappearance of Tayvor Mandirly, an agricultural expert who'd gone to the Colfillini plantations to investigate a rumour that employees were being worked to death.

"I found him, hidden deep in one of the fields, nailed to a wooden post. He'd been burnt alive. And the Force," Obi-Wan swallowed. Fifteen years later and he still found it difficult to speak of it. "The Force showed me what transpired there. The crime lords cut out his eyes first, so he couldn't see what they would do to him. Then they cut out his tongue so he couldn't beg them to stop. They stripped away his flesh to cause him pain, but not enough for him to lose consciousness. They broke bones. He was still alive, and fully aware, when they set him alight. I saw it all. Every moment. I lived it.

"By the time Qui-Gon arrived on the scene I was on my knees and bawling like a child. Not once did Qui-Gon rebuke me. He encouraged me to speak to him about it, to tell him what I had seen, how it made me feel, and he never once considered it a weakness that such cruelty affected me so viscerally. He helped me meditate on it, but for weeks following that day I'd wake up in the middle of the night, screaming. Some days I'd unknowingly pause in the middle of lightsaber sequences and relive the vision. Over time it got better, but. . . such cruelty has a way of staying with you.

"I do feel, Anakin," Obi-Wan stood again. "I've simply learned to master my emotions. And the first step to mastering your emotions is understanding them. You cannot understand them if you try to ignore them."

Obi-Wan approached his padawan and gently squeezed his shoulder. Anakin kept staring at the floor, brows pinched together. With some dismay Obi-Wan turned and headed for the door.

"Master," Anakin said.

Obi-Wan stopped with his hand on the door console. He turned and watched as Anakin's eyes darted around, as though searching for the words he wanted to say.

"When will you be back?" He finally said.

Obi-Wan hid his disappointment. He wanted Anakin to trust him enough to be honest with him. This silent, shielded version of the boy—who once was so open with him—was a troubled sea that tossed him back to shore every time he tried to help soothe the raging storm.

"A week if all goes well," Obi-Wan said. "Two at most. I'll be in comm range the entire time. If there are delays I'll let you know."

Anakin nodded his head and juggled a hydrospanner between the fingers of his left hand.

"It doesn't have to be me, Anakin," Obi-Wan said as a parting thought. "It's all right if you prefer the anonymity of the mind healers, but you must work through this if you hope to move forward."

Yet, despite his words Obi-Wan hoped that Anakin would open up to him. He'd gotten him back from the Sith, but still he feared he was losing him.

* * *

Boko Lan inspected his lightsaber hilt. He checked the pommel cap, making sure that it was adequately tightened. It was a nervous habit he'd never grown out of. The young Togruta man clipped his weapon back to his belt and straightened his spine. He looked out over the concourse and observed the comings and goings of droids and Jedi alike.

Soon he would leave on a mission with _the_ Obi-Wan Kenobi.

It was the worst kept secret in the Temple that Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi was the only Jedi in a thousand years to battle a Sith lord. And not just once either, but _twice_. His struggles against the Sith was quickly becoming the stuff of legends. It was as though the Force itself had chosen him as its champion against the dark.

Well, his former master had scoffed at him when he'd mentioned it to her, and told him that such admiration served no purpose. Kenobi certainly deserved respect for overcoming such trials, but to elevate him to some sort of deity was unkind, irresponsible, and dangerous.

 _How so?_ He'd asked.

 _Because what if he fails and dies? What then? Will you fall to your knees and give up because your hero wasn't able to vanquish evil? We are Jedi, not gods. We can do only as much as the Force allows us. Kenobi deserves our respect, but he is not infallible. To hold him as such is an injustice done to him._

Boko had to admit his master was right. As always. Still, he couldn't help the jittery excitement that coursed through his veins at the thought that he was about to go on a mission with the revered Jedi. He checked the chronometre on the far wall.

Obi-Wan Kenobi was late.

Something important probably delayed him, Boko reasoned. He unclipped his lightsaber and checked the pommel cap again. _Stop it,_ he scolded himself and quickly stowed the weapon against his side. To prevent himself from doing it again he folded his hands into opposite sleeves of his robe, then dropped into a light meditative trance where he stood waiting.

"Boko Lan?"

Boko snapped out of his trance and turned his head towards the speaker, then promptly dropped into a deep, respectful bow. "Master Kenobi!"

"Sorry I'm late," the Jedi master returned the bow.

"There's no need for apology, master," Boko said.

"Let's get things underway, shall we?" Kenobi held his arm out towards the hanger bay, then led the way inside.

A small republic shuttle sat prepared on the launching deck. Boko stood behind Kenobi and watched the exchange between him and the ship-requisitions droid as he signed the starship out. He then followed him up the ramp and took a seat in the co-pilot's chair.

"Tell me about yourself, Lan," Kenobi said as he started flicking switches on and doing pre-flight checks. The nav console lit up like a Coruscant night and the master quickly began the calculations necessary for their trip. The blue and yellow lights danced across his face.

Boko sat with his hands gripping the armrests of his seat. His master had always had him take care of navigation duties at the start of a journey, but Kenobi had things under control. He wasn't sure what to do with himself, so he simply sat and watched as the more experienced Jedi took charge as though he were on a solo mission.

"I'm recently knighted, master," Boko said.

Kenobi turned in the pilot's chair and gave him an amused grin. "Tell me something that I couldn't read in your holofile," he said, then continued doing the last few system checks.

"Yes master," Boko sat a little straighter in his chair, the blue stripes of his headtails turning a darker shade in the Togruta version of an embarrassed blush. "I. . . like to read."

The master laughed.

An electronic beep signalled the completion of the final check. Kenobi fired up the ion engines and gently eased the shuttle out of the hanger bay. They shot into the sky and into lower orbit where they logged their flight plan and cleared their departure with Coruscant Space Control.

"Well don't clam up now, Lan," Kenobi said. He'd spoken to the CSC Official with his most proper voice, but now the amusement had taken firm hold again. "Or else this is going to be a very dreary flight indeed."

He'd expected a serious, self-contained and stoic man, but Obi-Wan Kenobi seemed to be the personification of defied expectations. The master's amusement sang in the Force around them, and somehow Boko suspected he was the butt of some cosmic humour.

Twenty minutes in the master's company and already Boko could see that Obi-Wan Kenobi was not at all what he had expected.

* * *

They entered hyperspace without incident. Obi-Wan stood up and stretched his legs. The ship wasn't large, but it did have a small galley and two bunks in what served as crew quarters.

He wasn't sure what to make of his new companion yet. The young Knight, twenty-four standard according to his holofile, was a little stiff. But that wasn't uncommon among the ranks of the newly knighted. Fresh from their Jedi trials they were out to prove themselves in the field. Obi-Wan didn't remember experiencing a similar pressure. But then, he'd skipped the traditional trials when destiny decided to throw a Sith lord his way, followed by the challenge of training a nine year old former slave boy with stupendous Force-sensitivity. The idea of proving himself had never even entered his mind. Instead he'd been thinking about not failing in the promise he'd made to Qui-Gon.

No, his knighting hadn't been conventional, and neither was his path getting there, nor what lay beyond it.

Obi-Wan briefly wondered how a young knight like Boko Lan saw him, then discarded the thought. It wasn't important.

The galley had a small preserver installed and was fully stocked with meal packs. Obi-Wan avoided those and went for the small cabinet beneath it. He waved a hand and the panel slid open to reveal a set of sabaac cards. Perfect.

When he returned to the cockpit his Togruta companion was deeply focused on a datapad. He caught a glimpse of the content as he sat down in the pilot's chair again. The young knight was studying the mission material. Probably for the twelfth time, judging by the waves of nervous tension rolling off the poor man. Perhaps sabaac could wait.

"Relax, Boko," Obi-Wan said, using the knight's first name to try and ease his stress.

"I am relaxed, master," Boko said.

Obi-Wan supported his head with his hand, one finger tapping away at his temple, and turned his chair to face the Togruta. He raised an eyebrow at him and gave the young knight a small, knowing smile.

"Maybe I'm not as relaxed as I thought I was," Boko finally admitted.

"What troubles you?" Obi-Wan asked. "The mission?"

"No master. The mission seems pretty straightforward," Boko placed his datapad on the console beside him. Obi-Wan could feel him calling upon the Force to calm himself. Interesting.

"Then what is it?"

"It's foolish master," Boko voiced the thought while staring out the cockpit window.

"Foolish or not, I'd prefer if you could unburden yourself so I can worry about you less during the mission," Obi-Wan said, a kind twinkle in his eye.

"Forgive me master," Boko bowed his head. "I am. . . out of sorts in your presence. Your reputation precedes you and I fear I may not live up to your standards."

"Standards?" Obi-Wan said, the urge to laugh almost overwhelming. But he would not laugh at the young knight's admitted insecurity. To do so would be cruel. "My only standards are mission success and minimum casualties. Put everything else out of your mind. I am just another Jedi, Boko. Think of me as such."

"I'll try, master," Boko said.

"I said those exact words to master Yoda once," Obi-Wan said. "Do you know what he did?"

"Oh, of course," Boko said. "Master Yoda would say there is no try, only do or do not."

"Yes, he did say that," Obi-Wan nodded his head and grinned. "But he also pushed me down an arboretum irrigation hole."

"What?"

"Yes," Obi-Wan chuckled. "He walked me to it, calm and kindly as can be, then he used the Force to lift the heavy cover and promptly shoved me in. I was six at the time and we were practising Force-assisted jumping. The target was to achieve a height of three metres. I had to jump five to get out of the hole."

"Did you make it?"

"Not at first," Obi-Wan said. "By nightfall my tunics were soaked, I was cold, hungry and tired. It was quiet. I thought everyone had left. I thought I was alone. And that was the moment I realised that even if there was no one to help me, the Force was still there. It calmed me, filled me with hope, and so I jumped one more time. That was the first time I saw Master Yoda look pleased."

"Our own fears and insecurities blind us to the Force," Boko said.

"Precisely. You have nothing to prove, Boko," Obi-Wan shuffled the sabaac cards and watched as the tension left the young knight's shoulders. Satisfied, he tapped the deck of cards against the armrest of the pilot's chair and said, "Care for a game?"

"Are you sure you wish to go against a Togruta, master?" Boko grinned, leaned back in his chair and crossed one leg over the other. "At the risk of sounding boastful, my Togruta inborn senses make of me an unfair opponent."

"Oh, I'm not worried," Obi-Wan dealt the cards, and was pleased to see that the young knight finally found comfortability around him. Still, he would give him a thorough thrashing because, "Qui-Gon Jinn trained me well. Even in sabaac."

* * *

From space Taanab looked like unrefined emerald. Waterways criss-crossed over green fields that stood rooted in soil rich in life-giving minerals. It was one of the most productive farming planets within the Galactic Republic, and played host to many corporate businesses in the agricultural industry. It was also located within the Inner Rim territories, which made it ideally placed to spread food products to the Republic's many worlds. When the Jedi Order needed to choose locations to base the Jedi Agricultural Corps, Taanab was selected alongside six other planets.

Obi-Wan eased the shuttle onto the landing platform of the Agricorp HQ on the outskirts of Pandath, the planet's capital city. The Agricorp insignia on the roof of the building caught his eye. He took a deep breath and blinked the sudden sting away. He'd been unprepared for the swell of emotion he'd feel upon seeing it.

When he was thirteen there'd been a brief time when Obi-Wan believed he'd be an Agricorp worker. But past twenty years later it almost felt like it had been in a different life. It reminded him of Qui-Gon, of the man's initial reluctance to take him as his padawan, and it reminded him of the twelve years he ended up spending under the great Jedi Master's guidance.

Obi-Wan pushed the past from his mind and did a post-flight check on the fuel levels and hydraulics. The comfort of routine chased away the grief he still sometimes felt at his master's passing.

"We'll check in with the headquarters first," Obi-Wan said. "Then I want to head over to the grounds and see the damage. Perhaps we can pick up a trace of the perpetrators."

"As you say, master," Boko acknowledged and followed Obi-Wan down the shuttle's ramp.

It was a short walk to the administrative building. When they arrived a human woman came out to greet them. She wore the standard issue Jedi Agricorp uniform, which consisted of dark brown tunics, knee high nerf-hide boots, as well as a leather utility belt. Her black hair was pulled back into a thick braid, and a set of goggles hung about her neck. Around her brown eyes twin patches of clean skin stood in contrast to her dirt-stained cheeks. Obi-Wan noticed her clothes held similar stains.

"Welcome Master Kenobi, Knight Lan," she greeted. "I'm Kalsha Torryk. Thank you for coming so promptly."

Obi-Wan bowed in greeting. Next to him Boko did the same.

"What can you tell us about the situation?" Obi-Wan followed Kalsha as she led the way inside.

"They struck again before sunrise today, and we're still fighting fires," she said. "We think it's a pirate gang from Norulac, but we have no evidence to support the claim."

"You think it's the same pirates who raid outgoing freighters each season?" Obi-Wan scratched his beard. "They've never targeted the Jedi Agricorp before. Why start now?"

"I don't know, master Kenobi," Kalsha sighed. "Our produce go to underprivileged systems and those suffering from blight or natural disasters. The pirates know this, which is why they've always steered clear of us and our vessels."

"Have the attacks destroyed any crops?"

"Yes," Kalsha tapped a few commands on a datapad and handed it to Obi-Wan. It highlighted the affected fields. "As you can see, an entire Colfillini field was burnt down this morning. Before that our muja trees were infected with woodworms, which fortunately we were able to remedy without losing any of the trees. Five of our milk nerfs were stolen a week ago, and two days ago we managed to stop a similar theft of our robas."

"And the pirates' history?" Obi-Wan frowned. "From what I recall their modus operandi is theft. They haven't outright destroyed harvests before, have they?"

"Not that we know of, no," Kalsha took the datapad back and frowned at the illuminated screen. "What are you thinking, Master Kenobi?"

"It's too early to speculate," he said. "I need to visit the scenes."

"Then let's get started," Kalsha said and led the way to one of the Agricorp speeders.

Obi-Wan sat in the passenger seat of the vehicle as they sped past plantations and storehouses. He did not glance about to study the environment. Instead he kept his stoic gaze on the dash as he considered the possibilities. The vandalism, while certainly not beyond their capabilities, seemed unlikely to come from the Norulac pirates. They weren't known to even enter the atmosphere, never mind staging elaborate property damage. No, they were dealing with something else. Anarchists, possibly. Why else would someone attack a relief organisation?

Whoever it was, Obi-Wan resolved to get to the bottom of it quickly.

* * *

Boko glanced around the burnt Colfillini field. The tall stalks had shrivelled in on themselves and turned as black as coal. What surely was once a perfectly healthy green and white field now lay wasted by the devastation of fire's destructive power.

He watched as the Jedi Master slowly walked around the field, looking at the embers and ashes of what was left. His Togruta sense of smell could pick out the scents of humans, colfillini, earth, ash, smoke, and several scents he couldn't identify. His outstanding visual acuity didn't do him much good there. Any physical traces had been destroyed along with the colfillini.

At one point the Jedi Master came to an abrupt halt. Boko had seen a flash of unease pass over his face before he hid it behind perfect Jedi restraint. He did not sense any discomfort from the master though. In fact, he didn't sense anything from him at all. Which wasn't unusual, but he wondered why the master had reinforced his shields so heavily.

 _Experience informs habit,_ he mused, and wondered what the story was behind that flash of disquiet he'd seen pass over master Kenobi's face.

"So, what do you think?" Kalsha asked.

Master Kenobi turned in a circle, surveying the field, then closed his eyes. "Give me a moment," he said.

Boko felt the Force rush to the Master then. He contained his surprise at the clarity of the Master's connection. Small pebbles raised up from the earth as the Master dropped into a meditative trance right then and there. Boko knew what he was doing. His own master had forced him to study the discipline once, but he'd never made any real strides with it. To look into the past or the future of a place, or an object, at will was an imprecise and difficult skill. So when Obi-Wan Kenobi opened his eyes again, and the pebbles dropped back down to the ground, he didn't expect any earth-shattering revelations.

"It's not the pirates," the Master said.

"You're certain?" Kalsha frowned and cocked her head to one side.

"Quite," Master Kenobi said. "It's a local band of ruffians whose only goal is to sow discord on Republic worlds. Which is why they targeted the Jedi Agricorps and not any of the other agricultural conglomerates. They go by the name of The Reapers. Not very imaginative if you ask me. They seem to think that causing the Jedi some trouble will, ah, _up their street cred_. They'll attack the eastern storehouses tonight. They'll use ion grenades to knock out the security systems and then plant time delayed firebombs."

Boko stared.

"How in the world do you know all that?" Kalsha asked, an incredulous laugh jerked her shoulders.

Master Kenobi shrugged, "It doesn't always come so easy," he said. "But I have developed a certain affinity for seeing into the past of a place if I am able to root myself in its present. The gang had an interesting conversation shortly before they set the colfillini ablaze."

"I'm amazed. All I sense when I stand here is malice," Kalsha shook her head as a pleasant smile stretched across her face. "And that's why I went into the Service Corps and you became a Jedi Master."

"Your path is as worthy as any Jedi Master's," Master Kenobi said, then gave Kalsha a quick bow. "Knight Lan and I will await these miscreants at the storehouses tonight. We'll bring this to a quick and decisive end, but I think we need to coordinate with local law enforcement as well."

"Yes, of course," Kalsha said. "I'll comm them."

Boko followed behind Master Kenobi and Kalsha as they headed back to the speeder. As he stared at the Master's back he realised the man wasn't particularly tall. Taller than average for a human, perhaps, but his build was wiry. He was built for speed, not power. And he was strong in the Force in ways that Boko found rather striking. Master Kenobi's humble demeanour belied his great strength, he realised.

Boko wondered if he'd one day be able to measure up to the man.

* * *

"And now we wait," Obi-Wan spoke quietly into the cooling air of dusk. He and Boko had spent the afternoon studying the layout of the storehouses, taking note of what lay within them and consulting with Kalsha about what could be done to protect the harvests in case things did go awry. Service droids assisted them all afternoon in moving grain towards the inner stores, but they were in the middle of a harvest and there wasn't much room to go around.

Local law enforcement officials decided it would be best to catch the gang in the act, and while Obi-Wan did not favour endangering the Jedi Agricorp infrastructure, he understood why it was necessary. In a court of law A Jedi's perceptive abilities only meant something if tangible proof was involved. And, quite frankly, Obi-Wan didn't want to go anywhere near a court hearing if some greasy-haired silver-tongue lawyer was going to attempt to call him a liar.

Obi-Wan sat on the roof of the eastern most storehouse, hidden behind a ventilation duct. His datapad lay in his hand, a security grid displayed bright on its surface. All indicators were blue, and would turn red once the motion sensors were triggered. Next to him Boko's head swivelled in a deliberate, slow arc, as though he were tracking something. Obi-Wan looked up from the datapad, and noted the closed eyes and the frown of concentration on the Togruta knight's face.

"Do you hear something?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Yes," Boko said. "Three speeders approaching from the north-east. Approximately nine hundred meters and closing."

Obi-Wan stuck his head out around the ventilation duct and held a pair of macrobinoculars to his eyes. "I see them," he acknowledged once he found the dust trail the speeders kicked up. "I count eleven men."

"Armaments?" Boko asked.

"Blaster carbines by the looks of it. Nothing we can't handle with a lightsaber," Obi-Wan placed the macrobinoculars and his datapad next to Boko, then stood and straightened his robe. He grinned at the young Knight and said, "Show time."

The criminals turned out to be rather incompetent when faced with two well-trained Jedi Guardians. Obi-Wan's experience and Boko's youthful enthusiasm took them down in short order. The Jedi struck them unaware as soon as the first firebomb was set. That would be sufficient evidence and Obi-Wan didn't want to risk any damage to the Jedi AgriCorps grounds.

Night had fully settled in on the compound when local law enforcement finally drove the bound band of anarchists away. Obi-Wan wiped his hands on a proffered rag. In a desperate move one of the criminals had activated a firebomb. The resulting explosion had taken out a sizeable chunk of a water canal and had sent muddy debris cascading over Obi-Wan's position.

"Thank you Kalsha," Obi-Wan said, handing the rag back to her.

"You're welcome Master Kenobi," Kalsha said and tucked the rag into her belt. "You promised a swift end and you've delivered. I doubt they'll trouble us again."

"Let us hope so," Obi-Wan said as he stared into the distance.

"You don't seem convinced, master," Boko observed.

"I'm merely being cautious," Obi-Wan said. "It might be a good idea for us to stay a few days and make ourselves visible, just in case the cell sported more members than the eleven we apprehended tonight. When we get to quarters I'll contact the Council of AgriCorps Masters and defer to them."

Kalsha led the way back to the speeder and drove them to their temporarily assigned quarters. When they arrived Obi-Wan noted a boy of around fourteen run out of the barracks with a look of urgency on his face.

"Kalsha," the boy said. "Is that Master Kenobi with you?"

"Yes it is, Yagin," Kalsha said as she powered down the speeder. "What's the matter?"

"There was an urgent communication for Master Kenobi just now," the boy said, then turned towards the Jedi Master and bowed. "Master Kenobi, Master Windu bids you to contact the High Council immediately."

A bad feeling settled in Obi-Wan's gut as he made for the republic shuttle's comlink.

* * *

A/N: The event involving Obi-Wan and the colfillini incident on Antar IV was mentioned in the Wild Space novel. I thought that was a very interesting way in which the Force could be perceived. In the same book Obi-Wan witnesses, during Alchaka meditation, Anakin's military mission half a galaxy away (he witnesses the past in this case as well). I like the idea of Obi-Wan honing such an unpredictable skill, and I'll be using that concept again a few chapters down the line.

As I write this story largely for fun and practice, I'll be experimenting a little with how I write things. In Book I if Obi-Wan wasn't in the scene, it wasn't written. That will not be the case in Book II, and we'll see into the minds of other characters as well. With one exception; Anakin. I have a good reason for not writing anything in Book II from his point of view. That will hopefully all become clear in Book III, which at this stage is about a quarter of the way done. Hopefully I will have it all written and squared away before the final chapter (15) of Book II is posted.

Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: In the Wild Space novel we learn that the return of the Sith was kept secret from the Republic at large. That is what I based certain things in this chapter on.

* * *

RESOLVE II

* * *

2.

Obi-Wan didn't know why the council wanted him to return to Coruscant with such haste, but he suspected it had something to do with Dooku. No one had seen the former Jedi Master turned lord of the Sith since the conflict on Serenno four months previous. The CIS spent a great deal of time reassuring its constituents that Count Dooku was well and would return to the public eye with time.

Of course, no one outside the Jedi Order knew that Dooku had become a Sith lord. Few knew what a Sith even was, for that matter. A thousand years of peace had swept away all memory of them. Not a living soul knew what they were truly capable of, save for the Jedi—and the former queen of Naboo, Padme Amidala—as well as the occasional history buff who'd taken a special interest in galactic wars. Obi-Wan knew it was better that the knowledge of Dooku's turn, and the return of the Sith be kept quiet. The potential for panic was simply too great to ignore and the High Council had carefully weighed the scales when they decided to keep such a historical resurgence of the dark side a secret.

Not for the first time Obi-Wan wondered what Qui-Gon Jinn's stance would be on the matter, had he lived.

Obi-Wan piloted the small republic shuttle to the Jedi Order's private spaceport. It struck him as strange when he saw both Yoda and Mace Windu waiting for him. He landed the shuttle and quickly shut down its systems. The masters met him at the bottom of the boarding ramp.

"Masters," Obi-Wan bowed. "I take it the reason for my summons is quite serious." A requisitions droid approached with a datapad, and Obi-Wan quickly made the necessary annotations—fuel consumption and any damage the craft may have suffered during the journey—before signing the starship over.

"It is," Mace Windu said.

"And it's not something you wished to discuss over long distance communications," Obi-Wan noted the stoic neutrality of both masters. He followed them to a turbolift and frowned when Mace set them on a course for the residential wing of the Jedi Temple.

 _So it's important, but not a matter for the entire High Council. This could be a very slippery slope indeed._

"We're sorry to pull you so abruptly from your mission, Obi-Wan," Mace said.

"It's quite all right, master," Obi-Wan clasped his hands behind his back and stared at the closed doors of the lift. "Boko Lan has it well in hand."

"Performed well did he?" Yoda asked.

"I found no fault with him, master," Obi-Wan said. "But I would prefer my padawan join me on my next assignment."

"Ready, Skywalker is not," Yoda said. His tone left no room for argument.

"I agree, master. But Anakin has always been a restless spirit. I fear it may do him more harm than good if we keep him confined to Temple grounds much longer," Obi-Wan reasoned.

Yoda hummed his discontent.

Obi-Wan could not blame the old master. He knew the ancient Jedi had the Order's best interests at heart. And considering the path Dooku, who had once been Yoda's padawan, had taken, it was expected that he'd be a little wary. Anakin had spent two years in Dooku's company, victim to Force knows what. The young man wouldn't speak of it.

Master Yoda entered his humble domicile and immediately took a seat on his meditation cushion. Obi-Wan followed behind Mace Windu, and once they were all seated both council members fixed him with serious looks.

"Call you here to discuss recent developments we have," Yoda said. "Supreme Chancellor Palpatine informs us of debate in the Senate, regarding creation of a Grand Army of the Republic."

"There are rumours that the Separatists have begun building an army of their own," Mace added. "Currently no proof exists to substantiate these claims, but if there is some truth to the rumour we could be looking at war."

"Discovered master Sifo-Dyas' fate you did, Obi-Wan," Yoda said. "Suggested to the council he once did, that a Jedi army must be created. What he did after we removed him from the council, we know not. Now, in meditation an army I do see. Grave danger, I fear. Retrace master Sifo-Dyas' steps you must, Obi-Wan, and discover the truth if you can."

Obi-Wan interlocked his fingers and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He stared at the ground, absorbing what the council masters just revealed to him. He rubbed at his beard, frustrated by how blind they were.

"We are playing with half a dejarik set," Obi-Wan sighed.

"What do you mean?" Mace asked.

"We still don't know the identity of the Sith overseeing their plot," Obi-Wan shook his head. "If he did have a hand in the Trade Federation blockade of Naboo ten years ago, as we suspect, then what was his purpose there? Was it an experiment, or did it achieve something the Sith desired? And now this rumour of an army. Forgive me masters, but I don't believe the Sith would play such an obvious gambit. They've survived under our noses for a thousand years. They are cunning and we'd be unwise to accept tidings of war at face value. They may be attempting to orchestrate a war, but what is the hidden purpose?"

"Appreciate your insights, we do," Yoda said. "But answer these questions we cannot yet."

"Perhaps retracing Sifo-Dyas' steps will reveal the truth," Mace added. "After all, we know Dooku had a hand in his death. If Dooku wanted him dead, it must mean the unknown Sith wanted him dead as well."

"It could be the lead we're looking for," Obi-Wan nodded his head. "I'll get started immediately."

"And Obi-Wan," Mace sighed. "Skywalker can't be a part of this investigation."

Obi-Wan's brows lowered over his eyes, but he held his tongue. He needed to order his thoughts before he expressed his displeasure in an uncivilised manner. A few colourful huttese phrases came to mind, which he quickly banished from his mind.

"If we treat Anakin like we don't trust him, I guarantee you we will lose not only his respect, but his loyalty."

"Aware we are," Yoda said.

"You're aware?" Obi-Wan had a hard time keeping his outrage contained. "Do you think he will simply go back to Tatooine if we push him to the point of resentment?"

"It is not our intent to ostracise him, Kenobi," Mace said. "We are completely justified in our decision. It is up to you, as his master, to make sure he finds wisdom in this matter."

Yes, it was his responsibility. Obi-Wan knew. He wished for Qui-Gon's council then. His master would have been better able to help Anakin. But it didn't help to dwell on things that could not be. All he could do was focus on what he _could_ do. Obi-Wan let the fear and the worry drain from him. He needed to be an unwavering pillar of strength for Anakin if he was going to get anywhere with the young man.

"I understand, masters," Obi-Wan bowed his head in a gesture of deference.

"You don't need to begin your investigation immediately. We're giving you one week with your padawan, Obi-Wan," Mace said. "If you are able to report to us Anakin's experiences under Dooku's influence within the next five cycles, and we find no reason to further detain him, he can join you on your investigation. But if the week is out and he hasn't opened up, then our decision stands."

* * *

Master Cin Drallig stood on the observation balcony of the salle, overseeing the senior padawan sparring session below. Ferus Olin had neatly dispatched four opponents so far. At twenty-one years of age he displayed the calm poise of a seasoned Jedi. His lightsaber skills were exceptional, but that wasn't in the least bit surprising considering who his master was. And yet, Cin knew the fifth opponent would not be taken down so easily.

Anakin Skywalker had always been an enigma. He'd taken to lightsaber combat like a fish to water. A credit to Obi-Wan Kenobi's training or the boy's natural talent, Cin couldn't say. What he could say was that Skywalker had none of the serenity that made Kenobi one of the most impressive swordsmen within the Jedi Order. Cin watched as the young man paced and rolled his shoulders in anticipation of the spar ahead. On the other side of the salle Olin stood as an avatar of calm. The contrast was quite striking, and in one sense quite worrying as well.

Of course, everyone knew about Skywalker's two year captivity, and Cin could see the remnants of the experience haunt the young man. The intense focus in his eyes contained a touch of anger. It did not sit well with Cin. He wanted to stop the spar before it began, but that would only amplify the problem. In the end Cin decided to let the spar commence. He would observe closely, and step in if he felt things got out of hand.

"Ready yourselves," Cin announced loudly. He watched as Olin turned towards Skywalker and gave him the customary bow. Skywalker followed a beat later, his bow not quite as deep as Olin's was. "Begin."

Olin adopted a defensive posture, and it became immediately apparent why. Skywalker leaped at him with a bold move straight out of an Ataru velocity. The strike was hard, too hard for a spar, and Olin's knees almost buckled under the sudden pressure. But he stood his ground and was able to push Skywalker back a pace.

Skywalker struck again, this time with a quick flurry of strikes that Olin met blow for blow. Their pace increased and soon they were dancing across the wide circular floor of the salle. Cin looked on in careful study. Olin held his ground, steady as a rock against the temperamental onslaught of Skywalker.

"How's he doing?"

Cin nearly jerked upright at the sudden intrusion to his thoughts. He'd been so engrossed in the spar below that he did not sense the newcomer's approach. "See for yourself, Master Kenobi," he said and gestured to the battle of wills below them.

Kenobi walked up to the railing and looked down at the sparring padawans. Cin watched Kenobi's face for his reaction, and observed as a slow frown came down over Kenobi's brows. He looked back at the spar below and saw that the fight had taken a turn in Olin's favor. Skywalker was being driven back, and with each step he took his frustration appeared to increase.

"He's not staying calm," Kenobi remarked.

"No," Cin agreed. "I haven't observed much calm from him since his return, but today his composure seems particularly fragile."

"He has a chip on his shoulder regarding Ferus," Kenobi said.

Cin found that bit of information interesting. "Are they some sort of rivals?"

"I doubt Ferus sees anyone, least of all Anakin as his rival," Kenobi said. "As for my padawan. . . he's always trying to prove himself."

"He's toeing a dangerous line, Kenobi," Cin leaned his hands on the railing and turned his attention back to the spar.

"I know," Kenobi sighed. "He's headstrong, and since his return it's been a struggle to reach him."

"You can only show him the path," Cin said. "He is the one who must choose to walk it."

The spar took yet another turn as Skywalker knocked Olin back with a mighty Force-push. Olin hit the ground hard, but was able to use the momentum to spring back to his feet. Skywalker charged forward and began a relentless assault.

Kenobi shook his head, Cin noted.

"Desperation has no place in a Jedi's mind during battle," Kenobi said quietly.

Cin felt the need to stop the spar as he watched Skywalker send Olin back again with yet another Force-push. But this time the younger padawan did not pounce. He stayed back and waited for Olin to get up. He then leaped forward, moving his blade in an arc, lifting his arms high, getting ready to swing the blade down in a powerful Djem So strike. The Force coiled around the young man, and Cin realised too late what was about to happen.

Fortunately Kenobi was there as well, and he watched as the younger Master leaped over the balcony railing faster than any padawan could move, and place himself between Olin and Skywalker. Kenobi caught Skywalker's strike in a powerful application of the Force, the Master's experience overcoming the padawan's brute strength. Both boy and blade came to an abrupt halt. Surprise showed briefly on Skywalker's face, before the young man looked down at his feet and wiped a hand across his face in shame.

Cin breathed a sigh of relief. They were sparring with training sabers, but even a training saber could inflict terrible hurt with the right application of the Force.

"That's enough, Anakin," he heard Kenobi say.

"I didn't know you were back," Skywalker said. "You said you'd be gone a week. It's only been three days."

"That's hardly relevant in the present moment," Kenobi's words were quiet, but toned with reproach.

"I'm sorry, master," Skywalker said, but to Cin's ears it didn't sound sincere.

"I am not the one you should be apologising to," Kenobi stepped out of the way to reveal Olin dusting off his tunics.

The two padawans stared at each other. Olin with stoic calm, Skywalker with discontent. The salle was as quiet as dead space as the observing padawans fell silent. Olin was the first to move. He bowed to Skywalker. The traditional gesture of gratitude and respect after a friendly spar. But Skywalker merely turned his face away and stayed upright.

Cin noted the intense disappointment and displeasure in Kenobi's eyes as he observed his padawan a moment longer. _I don't envy you, Kenobi,_ he thought. _That padawan of yours is not making it easy for you._

The biggest surprise came next as Kenobi turned away from Skywalker and bowed low to Olin.

"Padawan Olin," Kenobi said. "Please accept my humblest apologies for padawan Skywalker's wilful employment of harmful tactics during a practice spar, and for his failure to observe tradition and common decency."

"Please, master," Olin said, both looking and sounding slightly distressed at the turn of events. "There's no need to—"

"With respect, Ferus," Kenobi interrupted with stoic calm. "But there is."

Cin watched as an angry, embarrassed flush crept up Skywalker's face. Soft murmurs rose around the salle as the other padawans expressed their surprise. Skywalker had embarrassed not only himself, but his master as well. If anything, Kenobi was an honorable man, one of the most respected in the Jedi Order, and he certainly didn't deserve such discourtesy from his padawan.

Kenobi turned back to his padawan then, and held out a single arm towards the doorway. Skywalker stood still a moment longer, spared a quick glance around the salle as he appeared to absorb his mortification, then he quickly walked out. Kenobi followed sedately behind him.

Cin sighed again. He did _not_ envy Obi-Wan Kenobi. He also did not envy Anakin Skywalker. The boy was uniquely strong in the Force. Everyone knew that. To have so much pressure placed on one's shoulders surely must have been a great burden, and it would only have been amplified by the years of captivity.

Cin felt sorry for master and padawan both, and hoped that Kenobi would be able to help the boy find balance.

* * *

Obi-Wan was struggling to release his severe disappointment. Anakin's dislike of Ferus Olin had never before translated into violent action or blatant disrespect. He could see now that Anakin was far from ready to be allowed back into the field. Four months had passed since he brought his padawan home, but it appeared as though he hadn't made any strides with the young man whatsoever.

 _Should I have pushed him harder?_

There wasn't an easy answer to that question. Anakin had always had a tendency to clam up and get involved in some mechanical project, rather than face and deal with his shortcomings. Meditation, a staple of any balanced Jedi, did not come easily to Anakin. For all his natural ability he failed in all measure of control and composure.

 _His shortcomings are a reflection of my own,_ he thought, and finally the disappointment drained from him.

Obi-Wan led Anakin to the arboretum. They walked along the stone walkway, past trees and small pools until they reached one of the towering waterfalls. A larger pool at its base caught the water from above, and streamed it past small stone islands and out towards other parts of the arboretum. Obi-Wan came to a stop on the shoreline and waited for Anakin to draw level with him.

"The council has assigned me another mission," Obi-Wan said.

"So soon after this most recent one?" Anakin frowned.

"Yes, it is urgent," Obi-Wan said, careful to keep his tone neutral. "You will not be joining me."

"This is getting ridiculous, master," Anakin said, sucking in a deep breath and blowing it out through his teeth.

"Is it?" Obi-Wan challenged with a raise of his eyebrows.

"They can't keep doing this, master," Anakin kicked a small pebble into the pool.

"The council's decision is one made with utmost care and wisdom, Anakin," Obi-Wan said. He made sure the young man was looking him in the eye before he said the next part. "You are unbalanced."

Anakin quickly looked away. His face remained neutral, but Obi-Wan could sense that he was offended. That in itself was troubling. A Jedi did not indulge in self-importance. All Jedi occasionally failed in this respect, but for Anakin it was a constant struggle. He'd come to the Jedi Temple under unusual circumstances which created an invisible barrier between him and the other Jedi. Anakin resisted integration at every turn. It did not register with him as it should have that no single Jedi was more important than the whole. He was born a slave. An exceptionally talented slave. He'd always been treated different, and as a result he couldn't accept that he was just another star in a galaxy that was full of them.

 _Is he though?_ Obi-Wan wasn't certain.

"You've been through a troubling ordeal, Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "It's not unexpected that you need time to work through it. But keep in mind that the hardships you have faced, and will face, are not an excuse to ignore the mandates and traditions that have been set before all Jedi. You are not exempt. I am not exempt. The council masters themselves are not exempt."

"The council just wants to control me," Anakin said, his tone reflecting the anger Obi-Wan could see on his face.

"Be very careful Anakin," Obi-Wan chastised. "You are allowing your emotions to cloud your thoughts. This conflict within yourself and this rebellion against the council's orders is exactly what Dooku would want. Are you going to give in?"

"I don't give in to anyone," Anakin said, defiant.

"You _will_ learn your place, young one," Obi-Wan said. He waited for Anakin to challenge him again, but the young man stared into the pool and held his tongue. Obi-Wan tried to get a sense of what he was feeling, but Anakin's shields had slammed down.

The minutes ticked by as they stood next to the pool in complete silence. Obi-Wan's mind worked furiously in an attempt to come up with a solution to the problem, but he knew that Anakin wasn't going to be receptive to any form of advice or compromise right then. Frustrated, he turned his back to the pool.

"I can only help you if you let me, Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "And I cannot save you from the council's censure. Reflect on your behaviour. Continue to act the way you did today in the salle, and you will have no one but yourself to blame for whatever consequences it may bring."

Obi-Wan walked away feeling like nothing had been solved. Masters Yoda and Windu had given him an entire week to determine whether or not Anakin was ready to rejoin him in the field, but Obi-Wan had seen enough. After seeing the way he handled himself during the spar with Ferus, how he conducted himself after it ended, and the pure defiance in the aftermath, Obi-Wan was dismayed to admit to himself that Anakin was far from ready.

He cursed the Sith with an ugly huttese phrase, then remembered himself. With a deep breath and exhale he balanced himself in the calm rivers of the Force once more, and left to begin his investigation. But halfway to the arboretum exit he was struck by an old memory, and the feelings associated with it.

At thirteen years old he'd spent time on a war-torn planet, alone. He'd wanted to help the people, had thought it was the right thing to do, and defended his conviction to Qui-Gon until the man had no choice but to leave him stranded there. Obi-Wan had felt conflicted, at first. But he was helping the people of Melida/Daan, and they became his friends. Until one day a conflict erupted which resulted in him being viewed as an outsider. Which, objectively he was. Yet, it didn't make it easier to cope with the sudden isolation.

Isolation was like a slow death. The stress of it destroyed his practised calm, and at thirteen years old he didn't yet have the discipline to reclaim his serenity once it had been disrupted. His thoughts were filled with such despair that even the Force became distant to him.

 _Where is my compassion?_ Obi-Wan thought. He turned around and headed back to where he'd left Anakin. The young man was still there, staring idly into the pool as ripples caused by the nearby waterfall spread across the surface, distorting his reflection.

Obi-Wan paused a few paces away. He tried to connect to his padawan through the Force, but felt barely a trickle from Anakin. The young man was closing himself off. What Obi-Wan feared most was the possibility of Anakin trapping himself in the belief that he could rely on no one but himself. All Jedi were family, and Obi-Wan wanted Anakin to be a part of that. He wanted the independent young man to be willing to seek help when he needed it. Everyone needed help sometimes.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan spoke his padawan's name calmly.

"I thought you were done lecturing for the day," the young man replied. The words were disrespectful, designed to fend off company. The Jedi Master saw right through it, and decided to ignore it.

"Come along," Obi-Wan said. "We're going to CoCo Town."

Anakin abruptly spun on his heel, an expression of surprise distorting his brows into uneven lines. "But I thought I was still confined to the Temple."

"It's not like we're going off planet," Obi-Wan allowed a small grin to settle on his face. "Besides, you used to love Dex's nerfburgers."

"When I was twelve, master," Anakin said. "My tastes have grown more sophisticated since then."

"I wouldn't let Dex hear you say that," Obi-Wan chuckled and turned towards the stone path again. "Now, let's go before wisdom catches up with me."

"You mean the council?" Anakin made no attempt to hide his glee, and for a moment Obi-Wan wondered if he would live to regret this minor act of defiance against the council's orders.

"Let's not fetch the Kowakian monkey-lizard from behind the mountain," Obi-Wan said then started walking down the path. He heard Anakin fall into step a pace behind him.

"Sometimes, I really have no idea what you're saying, master," Anakin said.

"Hm," Obi-Wan's grin dimmed. Anakin was hiding his turmoil beneath shields as impenetrable as cortosis-reinforced durasteel, and a veneer of comfortable banter. But it was all right, for now. Obi-Wan would give Anakin everything and work with what Anakin was willing to give him in return. Over time, hopefully he'd earn back the complete trust the young man once had in him.

Most of all, Obi-Wan wanted Anakin to understand that it wasn't a weakness to ask for help. He wanted his padawan to know that he would always help him. All the young man needed to do was ask.


	3. Chapter 3

RESOLVE II

* * *

3.

Obi-Wan swept his gaze over the familiar façades of the CoCo Town commercial district as he piloted an airspeeder along the Coruscanti skyways. The area was a little worse for wear, evidenced by the dulled durasteel and dilapidated permacrete that formed the bones that held everything together. But despite the signs of age the area was still well trafficked. Service droids kept the walkways and rooftops clean. A sign, perhaps, of the pride of hard-working maintenance crews and support staff working in those upper levels of the industrial sector.

Dex's Diner wasn't the only eatery in the area, but it was certainly one of the most popular. Frequented by spacers, freighter pilots, and other well-travelled beings it was also occasionally a treasure trove of information. And sometimes it was a stage for tall tales to be told.

Obi-Wan parked the airspeeder in an open spot a short distance away from the diner. He shut down its systems and gracefully leaped out, not bothering to tell his silent padawan to do the same. He knew Anakin would follow. After placing a Republic credit chip into the parking meter Obi-Wan proceeded down the sidewalk at an unhurried pace.

Pedestrians gave the Jedi curious looks, some gave them a wide berth. That didn't necessarily bother Obi-Wan. Usually it was the result of a superstition they held. If he'd been born without the Force thrumming through his being, perhaps he too would feel strangely about the Jedi. In a small corner of his mind, however, he felt a vague sense of apprehension at the skittish behaviour some beings displayed around members of the Order. But, as with all anxieties, he did not dwell on it.

Through the horizontal windows of Dex's Diner Obi-Wan could see that it wasn't as busy as he'd seen it in the past. Not surprising, considering the lunch rush was over. Obi-Wan led the way through the rounded doorway. A bell chimed to announce their arrival, and Obi-Wan walked straight for a set of empty seats along the colourful plastoid counter.

Obi-Wan caught a glimpse of the Besalisk through the circular window that separated the kitchen from the seating area. Moving hurriedly in the kitchen was Dex. He briefly paused to see the new customers and his scaly face broke out into a large grin.

"Obi-Wan! I haven't seen you in weeks," he said, waving a large hand as he disappeared behind the wall once more.

"Hello Dex," Obi-Wan greeted loudly.

"I'll be right with you my friend," Dex's voice carried over the sound of clanking metal and a crackle that sounded suspiciously like fire. But there was no burning smell or warning in the Force, so Obi-Wan sat back calmly and waited patiently in his seat. Next to him Anakin fidgeted with the sleeves of his robe.

"I hope you remember your lessons on toxin filtering," Obi-Wan remarked offhandedly.

"I never needed to use it here, master," Anakin said. "You forget. . . my stomach is durasteel."

"Oh. . . yes," Obi-Wan nodded. With carefully weighted sarcasm he said, "Your constitution always did impress me. Especially that time you accidentally ate those—"

"Let's not revisit that particular memory, master," Anakin said quickly. A clear sign that he'd rather _not_ talk about it. Obi-Wan laughed, fondly remembering when a twelve year old Anakin accidentally ate poisonous kelp while on a survival training exercise. Obi-Wan had needled him to study up on his flora for weeks, and Anakin had adamantly argued that he was well-prepared and promptly ignored his master to pull apart an outdated hyperdrive generator. At the time Obi-Wan had let it go, deciding that a hard lesson would impart greater wisdom than a lecture. He'd almost regretted his decision when Anakin spent an entire day in a fevered and pained daze as the poison triggered nerve endings to produce pained joints and muscle spasms.

Hermione Bagwa sidled up next to the Jedi with two menus. Obi-Wan noted how her blue eyes stayed on Anakin's form as she offered up the items. There was curiosity there. She tucked a few stray strands of blond hair behind her ears, two large golden loops swung gently from the lobes.

"The usual, Obi-Wan?" Hermione went back behind the counter to collect the jawa juice pot.

"Just water today, thank you Hermione," Obi-Wan held up a single hand. "I'm still on duty I'm afraid."

"Aren't you Jedi _always_ on duty?" she put the jawa pot down and grinned.

"It's a matter of degrees," Obi-Wan leaned his elbows on the counter and glanced sideways at his padawan, who seemed rather preoccupied with the counter top. Odd. "What would you like to drink, Anakin?"

"Water is fine, thanks," Anakin said, nodding his head to Hermione.

"You two didn't come all the way out here just to drink water, did you?" Hermione shook her head and turned to pull two fresh glasses from a cupboard beneath the counter.

"Of course not," Obi-Wan said pleasantly. "I'll have the club sandwich."

"What about you sweetie?" Hermione asked the young man whose eyes were still stuck to something on the counter only he could see.

Anakin finally looked up and met Hermione's eyes. "I'll have a nerfburger and potato wedges," he said. Obi-Wan was barely able to repress his smile. He was sorely tempted to tease Anakin. Didn't he say how his tastes had grown more _sophisticated_ less than an hour ago?

"Admit it," Obi-Wan said when Hermione entered the kitchen to relay their orders to Dex. "You're looking forward to that nerfburger."

"It's only to remind myself what it tastes like," Anakin crossed his arms over his chest. "I haven't had one in years, master."

Obi-Wan laughed quietly, and turned to face the entrance when the bell chimed. He watched as two men—one Sullustan and one human—dressed in SoroSuub Corporation uniforms walked in. They were deeply engrossed in what appeared to be a riveting discussion, judging by the way his padawan suddenly jerked to attention and watched their progress across the diner's floor. They spoke in galactic basic, and Obi-Wan caught a few words like _FA-4 pilot droid_ and _X-34 landspeeder_ before he lost interest.

"Master can I—"

"Go on," Obi-Wan nodded his head towards the SoroSuub employees. He watched a grin spread across Anakin's face before the young man jumped off his chair to go strike up a conversation with the new arrivals.

Obi-Wan shook his head with a fond smile. Give his padawan anything that even remotely resembled a machine and he was happy. _This will do him good_ , Obi-Wan thought as he watched Anakin's progress. He could not hear their quiet conversation, but he watched as the Sullustan suddenly burst out laughing and scooted over so Anakin could take the seat next to him in their booth.

Obi-Wan sighed. It was so easy for Anakin to make friends with random strangers, but among the Jedi he struggled.

"I see that padawan of yours has abandoned you," Dex came around the counter and placed a club sandwich plate in front of Obi-Wan.

"It happens every time I remove the leash," Obi-Wan said and Dex burst into guffaws. He grinned in response, stood and gave the Besalisk a friendly hug. It was always a little strange to get hugged by four arms. Obi-Wan felt at a disadvantage, and was strangely amused by the thought. He took his seat again and said, "This isn't exactly a social call, Dex."

"The thought never crossed my mind," Dex said. "You Jedi are a different breed, eh?"

"I suppose we are," Obi-Wan sighed. "Dex. . . Let's say, for the sake of argument, I wanted to build myself an army. How would I go about doing that?"

"An army?" The Besalisk frowned. "What would you need an army for?"

"It's a hypothetical question, Dex," Obi-Wan kept his voice low. There weren't many customers, and those who did occupy the various booths didn't exude any kind of _intent_. The Force sailed smoothly through the diner. There were no disturbances, but it wouldn't hurt to remain cautious.

"Well, I suppose that would depend on the scale of this. . . hypothetical army," Dex lowered his voice and leaned an elbow on the counter top.

"Let's say. . ." Obi-Wan hesitated. Master Yoda had said nothing of how large the army he'd seen during his meditation had been. But he'd sensed the old Master's disquiet. And if Yoda was disturbed by it, then surely the scale would have been terrible. "Millions."

"Millions!" Dex's whisper was filled with distress. "I hope this really is a hypothetical situation, my friend."

Obi-Wan sympathised with Dex's sudden alarm. He felt it pervade through the Force, which was unusual in itself, since Besalisks were nearly Force opague. Similar to Hutts. Obi-Wan glanced over at Anakin to see if the young man had noticed it too, but he was still engrossed in his conversation with the SoroSuub men. Hermione walked by and handed over two plates of sliders and Anakin's nerfburger combo.

"I hope so too, Dex," Obi-Wan turned back to face his friend. "But if you can think of anything you've encountered in your travels that would assist in creating such an army, I need to know."

"Well, there's always Baktoid Combat Automata," Dex said. "They manufactured the droids that were used to invade Naboo, no?"

"Baktoid is the most obvious, yes," Obi-Wan agreed. "But that is not what I had in mind."

Dex ran a finger over his moustache. He seemed to be in deep thought. Obi-Wan no longer sensed any particular feeling from his friend, but the Force imparted a certain awareness to him. Its call was urgent, as though telling him what the Besalisk was about to say was important, and that he needed to pay close attention.

"Maybe. . ." Dex looked to the side, thinking. "I wonder. . ."

"What is it, Dex?" Obi-Wan forced his beating heart to slow it's sudden adrenalin fuelled rhythm.

"There's a planet about 12 parsecs outside the Rishi Maze, towards the south, called Kamino," Dex finally said. "The Kaminoans are cloners."

"Cloners?" Obi-Wan frowned. "That seems. . . possible. Especially if one wanted to keep it a secret."

"If your next question is going to be about where to find the money to fund such an operation, I can't help you, Obi-Wan," Dex said. "And I hope your enquiry is exactly as you say. . . hypothetical."

"So do I," Obi-Wan scratched his beard. He stared at the club sandwich in front of him. His appetite was suddenly diminished. No doubt by the speculations that ran through his mind.

He wouldn't make any assumptions until he had more information, but if Sifo-Dyas did somehow set something like the creation of a clone army into motion, he would have needed funds. Obi-Wan sighed. The lead Dex offered seemed both promising and disturbing, but he needed more information before he could present his findings to the Jedi High Council. He quickly dug into the sandwiches, despite no longer being hungry, and planned his next move.

"Thank you, Dex," Obi-Wan said after swallowing the first mouthful. "You're information is indispensable, as always."

"Any time, Obi-Wan," Dex said. "I better get back to the kitchen and prepare for the dinner rush."

Obi-Wan nodded and watched the Besalisk make his way to the kitchen. He finished half his food before he decided it was enough to sustain him through the late afternoon and evening. After gulping down a few mouthfuls of water he stood to find Hermoine. Once the bill was settled he looked at Anakin. The young man was still avidly discussing machinery with the SoroSuub men. He should take Anakin with him, but he'd not seen the young man so engaged in months. With a sigh and a brief thought that he would regret what he was about to do, he walked up to their table.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan waited until he had his padawan's attention, then said, "I have urgent business at the Senate. Take the speeder back to the Temple once you're done here. No detours, or I will know."

"Yes master," Anakin's eyes lit up. "No detours, I promise."

"Good," Obi-Wan briefly rested a hand on Anakin's shoulder. "I'll see you back at the Temple for evening sequences and meditation."

Obi-Wan left Dex's Diner and quickly made his way down the wide walkways of CoCo Town. The Senatorial district was within walking distance, and Obi-Wan used the opportunity to study how the Force flowed through the city dwellers. Throughout his travels and training Obi-Wan had encountered many different kinds of planets, and each had a unique presence within the Force. Some overflowed as a river might during monsoon season, while others were as bereft of the Force as the planet Hoth was of warmth.

Coruscant had always felt like a conundrum to Obi-Wan. He could sense the vitality of the Force in almost every living being on the great city planet, but beneath the surface something deeper lay. Something hidden, shrouded. As a youngling he'd often woken up in the middle of the night with a feeling of _wrongness_. When he tried to explain it to Master Ali-Alann the crèche master had taken him to Yoda. The Grandmaster then told him the story of how the Jedi Temple had been built on a Force nexus, over the ruins of an ancient dark shrine. He explained that the wrongness he felt was an echo of that darkness, and that Obi-Wan should draw in the purity of the Force if and when the echo returned to him again.

Decades later Obi-Wan could still sometimes feel that fleeting echo of wrongness, and wondered why he struggled to let go of those childish concerns.

The enormous Senate building loomed in front of Obi-Wan and he did not need Master Yoda to explain to him the bad feeling he got every time he neared it. Politicians were power hungry, greedy and dishonest. Perhaps that was an unfair generalisation, but as a Jedi Obi-Wan had seen far too many precarious situations at the mercy of some politician's agenda dissolve into chaos.

There were exceptions like Tyro Caladian, of course. The Svivreni worked tirelessly to combat corruption and injustice, and met the risk that it presented to himself with a courage equal to that of any Jedi.

A slew of negative emotions flooded Obi-Wan's senses as soon as he crossed the threshold of the Senate building. Ego warred with pride while greed slipped by like a serpent in the grass. Despite the assembly of aggression a speck of determination and hope did break through. Without slowing his quick walking pace Obi-Wan drew the Force around himself and warded off the distracting emotions of the politicians.

He reached Tyro's office without incident. Where he expected to find a secretary, he found an empty room and an open door. Unusual. Obi-Wan walked to the open doorway of Tyro's office and saw the Svivreni studiously pouring over a stack of holofiles. Plastoid storage boxes littered the floor, no doubt filled with even more files, and Obi-Wan wondered what cause Tyro was currently tackling. He paused just inside the doorway and softly rapped his knuckles on the durasteel control panel set into the wall.

Tyro's head tilted towards the doorway and as soon as he saw Obi-Wan standing there his face lit up into a grin as bright as the Tatooine sun. "My eyes are happy! It is the face of my friend Obi-Wan!" He leaped off his chair and met the Jedi at the door, then opened his hand, closed it, and placed it over his heart in a traditional greeting.

"Hello Tyro," Obi-Wan mimicked the same greeting. "How have you been?"

"You know me, Obi-Wan. I am always busy!" Tyro plopped back down into his chair and indicated for Obi-Wan to take the empty seat on the other side of the desk.

"I'm afraid I might be adding more to your load today, my friend," Obi-Wan leaned back in the chair and ran a hand through his hair. The Svivreni picked up on Obi-Wan's apprehension almost immediately.

"I always have time for anything you need Obi-Wan," Tyro said. "I see it as my duty to help the Jedi when I am able to. Tell me what it is you need help with."

Obi-Wan made a gentle waving motion with his hand and the door slid shut, offering them a modicum of privacy. He leaned forward in his chair and laced his fingers together, then said, "I'm looking for a credit trail that leads back to a Master Sifo-Dyas."

"A Jedi Master?" Tyro asked. At Obi-Wan's nod of acknowledgement he said, "That will be very difficult, Obi-Wan. Jedi don't normally leave trails like that because none of you actually own anything."

"That's why I came to you directly. If this trail exists it's probably hidden by some sort of subterfuge. I don't know much about corporate dealings, but it is my understanding that in certain practices dummy corporations can be set up to protect an individual or another corporation from certain liabilities, including hiding ones identity."

"Yes it's certainly possible," Tyro rubbed his chin. "What is this about Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan leaned back in the chair again and crossed one leg over the other. How much of his speculation should he reveal to Tyro? He would trust the Svivreni with his life, but he did not want to endanger him unnecessarily. _Danger_ was the only word that adequately described the bad feeling that thrummed through his veins since Dex mentioned the word _cloners_. Yet, he knew that he would cripple Tyro's abilities if he did not tell him everything he suspected.

"First you must understand that all I currently have is speculation," Obi-Wan sighed, then ripped off the band-aid before he could change his mind. "There is a possibility that Master Sifo-Dyas commissioned the creation of an army, and an investment like that would likely stretch into the billions."

At first Tyro's face showed no reaction to the words spoken, but then his brows pulled together in a deep frown. "This is troubling," he said. "You know of the debates? Do you think it has anything to do with it?"

"I don't know Tyro. . . Possibly," Obi-Wan kept his eyes on his friend. He could feel Tyro's distress in the Force. The Svivreni was doing an excellent job keeping the outward appearance of calm. Regret stabbed through Obi-Wan that he had needed to involve this good being in such an investigation at all.

"But you feel investigating this is important?"

"I feel it is dire," Obi-Wan said.

"Dire," Tyro parroted and looked down at his hands. "I will help, of course. But I worry, Obi-Wan. What if it turns out to be true?"

 _What indeed_ , Obi-Wan kept the thought to himself. Instead he gave his brave friend a reassuring smile, and said, "Don't fret, Tyro. If it proves true, then a solution will present itself."

* * *

Twilight filtered in through the wide windows of the Jedi Temple, setting the interior aglow with deep, fading oranges. The artificial lighting balanced the retreating natural light, but in the salle balcony Yoda chose to disable that imitation of light. He stood in the shadows, overlooking the figures in motion below. He studied their movement, and their spirits.

From one he sensed a quiet reserve, a humble maturity, a hard-won serenity. From the other he sensed youthful recklessness, twisting uncertainty, and inner turmoil. Yoda shook his head sadly. The boy had been through much.

Yoda felt his fellow council master in the Force before the Korun man stepped through the doorway behind him. The presence of Mace Windu was hard to miss. As if to compensate for this his steps made not a sound as he walked into the room. Yoda watched his progress, nodded his head in acknowledgement when their eyes met, and waited for him to speak.

"Have they been at it long?" Mace asked.

"An hour, perhaps more," Yoda said.

Below them in the salle Obi-Wan and Anakin performed lightsaber sequences in perfect synchrony. Obi-Wan flowed through them as a leaf in the wind, while Anakin's precision was more closely linked to a droid executing its programming.

"He focusses too much on the movements themselves," Mace observed.

"Yes," Yoda agreed. "Set him right, Obi-Wan will."

They watched as Obi-Wan abruptly stopped his own sequence and indicated for Anakin to do the same. The master and padawan kept their voices low, but Yoda sensed that Obi-Wan was seeking to help his padawan find balance, as was the intention of the exercise. Annoyance leaked into the Force at the correction. Yoda frowned and narrowed his eyes.

"The boy resists the wisdom of his master's experience," Mace remarked quietly.

Yoda hummed his reply and kept his vigil, studying the nuances of the interaction between the two Jedi below. Obi-Wan responded to Anakin's annoyance with a compassionate smile, and brought a hand to rest on Anakin's shoulder as he explained something. His hand then strayed up to the young man's cheek as he drove the point home with a light tap of fondness and a smile. Anakin's annoyance faded and reshaped itself to gratitude. The two moved apart and began the sequence again. This time Skywalker had his eyes closed and within a few movements of the sequence his presence became more serene, more balanced.

"I'm impressed," Mace said.

"By the master, or the apprentice?" Yoda asked.

"Both," Mace raised his brows as he continued to study the performance. "Skywalker's temperament has always been volatile, more so since his return to us. Yet despite this Obi-Wan manages to ground him. Skywalker is talent unlike any we have ever seen. He will become the greatest of us _if_ he can find balance."

"Put too much faith in talent, you do," Yoda said.

"How do you mean?" Mace frowned and turned to Yoda.

"Meaningless is talent if not properly nurtured. Not a requirement for greatness talent is," Yoda shuffled forward, towards the railing.

"Of course, but there's no denying Skywalker's potential," Mace stayed still.

"A matter of perspective, potential is," Yoda turned and looked up into the eyes of the Korun master. "Tell me, master Windu. . . down there, what do you see?"

This was a trick question, Mace knew. He glanced over the railing to the synchronised sequences below. Quite simply he saw a master and a padawan, but he ignored the obvious, looked past it until he thought he'd found what Yoda was implying. "I see a contradiction," he said.

"Very good," Yoda chuckled. "Different from each other they are. One strong, one weak. But which is which?"

"That is also a matter of perspective, and of context," Mace said. "Obi-Wan's strength is quiet and understated. As a youngling he wasn't expected to amount to much, and yet before us stands a master who has overcome the direst of trials."

"A strength that is earned, stronger than any innate strength is," Yoda said.

"So from your perspective Skywalker is weak?" Mace asked.

"Much to learn he still has," Yoda nodded his head. "About his place, his purpose. Struggle to find balance without these answers he does. Lean on Obi-Wan's strength he must, but fear I do that too proud he is to so do."

"Obi-Wan must show him the way," Mace said.

"But _choose_ to follow, Skywalker still must."

The two council masters watched the rest of the Jedi's training in silence. Yoda listened to their spirits through the Force. One stood balanced upon the shifting waves, while one continued to stumble along, occasionally finding harmony only to lose it again. The old master could feel the balanced teacher reaching out to the stumbling student, to lead him and hold him steady, but the helping hand was neither seen nor accepted.

Yoda meditated on it until long after the two Jedi finished their training. He knew that Skywalker would either accept his master's help, or he would fail to find balance. And if he failed. . .

The future was unclear. Such blindness was foreign to Yoda. Yet with every year that passed the shroud of the dark side grew thicker, and Yoda's field of vision grew more narrow. It was only a matter of time before the galaxy reached a turning point.

Instinct told him that Obi-Wan and Anakin would be at the centre of it all.


	4. Chapter 4

RESOLVE II

* * *

4.

Set on top and at the centre of the Jedi Temple, the Tranquillity Spire's elegant shapes reflected the harmony of the Force in balance. The wide open hallways conveyed the openness with which every Jedi strived to walk through life. Without being open, one cannot be compassionate, and compassion was one of the most important Jedi virtues.

Time of day matter not, and the Tranquillity Spire saw Jedi flow through its corridors and meditation rooms at a steady pace throughout the planet's orbital cycle. Obi-Wan had spent countless hours in meditation enveloped in its familiar comfort, and over the years found night time to hold a certain clarity that was at best transient during the daytime. For a being who walked in the light, to find clarity in the absence of light, it seemed a contradiction. But it was balance, in all things, Obi-Wan reasoned.

Balance. Obi-Wan felt relief as he ascended one of the great spiralling walkways within the Tranquillity Spire. The lightsaber sequences that evening had helped Anakin achieve balance. It may have been fleeting, lasting only as long as their training did, but it was a start, and a step in the right direction.

He did not miss Yoda's carefully poised presence quietly observing from the balcony. Obi-Wan wondered what the old Master thought about Anakin's progress, and if he agreed with Obi-Wan's approach. He took comfort in the knowledge that if Yoda disagreed with his methods he would not hesitate to impart to him his centuries of wisdom in a riddle that most likely would involve some sort of painful struggle. Yoda was fond of his riddles, and Obi-Wan understood why. Comprehension and struggle were the pillars of wisdom. A lesson was only as meaningful as the struggle to achieve understanding.

Obi-Wan had learned—and earned—many lessons under the guiding hands of better Jedi.

He was still learning, and there would always be more to learn. With Anakin he was learning patience all over again. _If Qui-Gon could see me now,_ the thought brought a smile to Obi-Wan's bearded face.

Anakin had set straight to work on one of his machine projects the moment they returned to their quarters that evening. Obi-Wan had simply tugged on his beard and accepted the inevitable. With a calm warning not to stay up too late—because he would be waking him at the crack of dawn—Obi-Wan had left their domicile again to perform his Alchaka meditations.

Standing in the centre of one of the private meditation rooms Obi-Wan removed his tunics and tabards, and began the rigorous series of highly personal exercises. The moving meditation of Alchaka was something Obi-Wan had always taken very seriously. As a young boy he recognised his own limitations and worked hard to overcome them. He'd recognised that the other children could push their feathers higher and for longer than he could. That they could jump higher and further than he could. It frustrated him, at first. He was six when Master Yoda took him aside one day and introduced him to Master Zavunara, a female Mirialan Jedi who taught the traditional Alchaka techniques at the Temple. With Alchaka she taught him to clear his mind and attune his body to the strength of the Force.

It was exhausting. The combination of physical and Force skills required to perform the technique was both nearly impossible and highly rewarding. He'd been a clumsy youngling when he first started learning, barely able to achieve a semblance of the positions. With time his meditation movements became more refined, and he became more deeply connected to the Force.

Even as a Jedi Master he still could not achieve perfection, because even in striving for perfection, that wasn't the true goal of Alchaka. The goal was personal to each individual, and could only be discovered through diligent repetition of the meditation. For Obi-Wan it was simple; Through Alchaka he strove to become one with the Force so that he could better serve to maintain its balance.

Sweat poured off Obi-Wan and his muscles strained as the Force rushed to him, its flow connecting him to both the living and unifying Force in ways he only achieved during Alchaka. He kept his eyes closed, a veil lifting from his mind and providing a clarity free of thought. He simply _was_. And in the simplicity of being the Force spoke to him.

He saw a desert planet with two suns and three moons. The corpse of a krayt dragon rotted in the heat while a broken gaderffii stick lay abandoned in the sand, the edges of its two parts splintered as though a great force had snapped it in two. Anger and pain lanced through that harsh environment. The feelings flowed through Obi-Wan so palpably that he startled from his meditative trance, lost the balance of the one-handed stand his body had flowed into, and fell in a heap on the floor.

A powerful headache assaulted him at the sudden interruption. He lay motionless and focused only on his breathing to rid himself of the shock. It wasn't the first time the Force had shown him a vision of a distant place or time during his Alchaka meditation, but it _was_ the first time the Force deigned to bombard him with such clear _emotions_.

What did it stem from?

The planet was familiar to him. Tatooine, it had to be. After their escape from Naboo he'd had an encounter, briefly, with the Tusken Raiders while Qui-Gon had gone in search of parts for the Nubian cruiser. A local tribe had stumbled upon them on the outskirts and shown interest in the starship. At the time Obi-Wan had warily eyed their gaderffii sticks as he attempted to peacefully sway them to take their leave. They had. And the krayt? Was it just a rotting corpse, or was there some meaning behind it?

Obi-Wan slowly rolled to his stomach and pushed himself up onto his knees. The headache was subsiding, and his breathing had calmed. The anger and pain he'd felt was the most disconcerting. Tatooine. It had to involve Anakin somehow.

Closing his eyes Obi-Wan performed a few meditative breathing exercises to regain a modicum of the serenity the Alchaka technique normally imparted to him. His heart rate slowed from its frantic pace to a resting beat, yet the Force still flowed through him, as though urging him to act. Opening his eyes he stood and calmly threw on his tunics and tabards, fastened them neatly, and hurried out of the meditation room and away from the Tranquillity Spire.

Minutes later he was back inside the living quarters he shared with Anakin. Inside the small sitting room he stood still, and listened. There was not a sound to be heard in the small hours, but Obi-Wan sensed a disturbance emanating from behind the closed door of Anakin's room.

Attempting to give his padawan space wasn't creating the hoped for result, and as his master Obi-Wan felt it was his sworn duty to council the young man. Considering the lack of control Anakin had experienced in recent years he would likely not appreciate the intrusion, but Obi-Wan would not let him suffer through whatever plagued him in sleep.

With a gentle nudge Obi-Wan used the Force to slide the door open. Anakin's form lay cast in shadows, but Obi-Wan did not need to see him to know he was in distress. The Force cascaded over him like an avalanche. It was no mere nightmare, Obi-Wan realised.

Ever so gently Obi-Wan reached out to Anakin through the Force, and attempted to soothe his spirit, and coax the young man to a wakeful state. His careful ministrations worked, and Anakin sat up with a muttered, "Mom?"

Obi-Wan's frown conveyed his unspoken sympathy. "Not quite," he said.

"Master?" Anakin rubbed a hand over his face. Then, as if suddenly realising where he was he leaped from his sleep couch and clenched his fists. With a carefully controlled voice he said, "Please leave."

"I sensed your distress," Obi-Wan said, making no move to honour the request.

"It was nothing," Anakin said, stubborn and obstinate.

 _Well_ , Obi-Wan thought dryly. _I know a thing or two about being stubborn and refusing to lean on others._ He set his hands on his hips and stared at Anakin. The glow from the low light in the sitting room cast a soft light across half the padawan's face. His expression conveyed a dark annoyance, but Obi-Wan stayed where he was. As immovable as a mountain.

"I've fought hard for you, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, knowing that Anakin would not break the silence first. "And I will not sit passively while you self-destruct. If you are struggling, if something is bothering you, I'd like to help you. I will always want to help you."

Anakin stared at the floor, his hands still at his sides and clenched into his fists. Not a muscle trembled as he stood there. Seconds ticked by, becoming a minute, then more.

If Obi-Wan had been less disciplined he might have sighed. Instead he simply dropped his lax hands to his sides and calmly said, "If you feel you cannot speak to me, then please seek out Master Yoda. There is no wiser Jedi in the Order, and he has never turned anyone away. But please Anakin, you _must_ recognise that you cannot do this on your own."

Obi-Wan turned from his spot in the doorway and walked back into the sitting room that separated Anakin's room from his own.

"It's my mother."

Obi-Wan paused and slowly turned back to face Anakin. The young man walked forward, stopping in his doorway. He wiped sweat off his brow. The better light showed his physical distress much more starkly. Obi-Wan stayed silent, afraid that if he spoke Anakin would clam up again. He took a seat on one of the cushions and waited.

"Well, it's more than that," Anakin said as he plopped down against the wall. "But right now it's my mother. I keep dreaming about her. She's in pain."

"When did these dreams start?" Obi-Wan leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.

"About a week ago," Anakin said, and briefly met Obi-Wan's eyes. "Something has happened to her, master. I can feel it."

Obi-Wan considered his next words carefully. Anakin was clearly upset. He'd known that the attachment his padawan had to his mother was something that he probably would never truly overcome. Jedi normally didn't know their mothers, but Anakin had spent the first nine years of his life with his.

"You believe these dreams are visions, showing you what's happening to her?"

"Yes, I know they are," Anakin's voice conveyed a certainty that almost dared Obi-Wan to contradict him. "But I can't tell if it's happening now or still going to happen. I. . . I need to go to her."

"Did I ever tell you about Master Tahl?" Obi-Wan asked. Anakin shook his head, indicating that he hadn't heard the story. "She and Qui-Gon grew up together, here in the Temple. Some years before we met you, Qui-Gon saw her in a vision. She was in great pain. . . It was a vision of her fate. Master Yoda teaches us that the future is always in motion. Rarely do we have the wisdom to know how our actions will affect the outcome. What seems certain today may seem impossible tomorrow. And in Qui-Gon's attempt to locate Tahl his vision proved true. I never voiced it, because Jedi are not supposed to wonder _what if_ , but I did find myself wondering if that would still have been the outcome if Qui-Gon and I hadn't gone to find her."

"But why would the Force let us see these things if we couldn't affect the outcome?"

"To remind us of our limitations," Obi-Wan answered without hesitation.

"I don't understand."

"We may feel the Force, but that does not give us power," Obi-Wan studied the way Anakin's face slowly changed from mild confusion to thunderous defiance.

"But we _do_ have power," Anakin argued. "We can do things that most people can't even imagine."

"It is _not_ power, padawan," Obi-Wan warned. "Yes, the Force allows us abilities that most sentients can only dream of, but that does not give us dominion over anything. We can no more change a person's fate than we can prevent a star from burning itself out."

"Well we _should_ have that power," Anakin's eyes shone with ill temper. It deeply unsettled Obi-Wan.

"Mind yourself, Anakin. Such thoughts are unbecoming of a Jedi," Obi-Wan slowly stood and walked over to the small kitchenette. He set the water to boil as he waited for Anakin to finish stewing over the gentle reprimand.

When he returned with two cups of tea the young man was still sitting on the floor with his head bowed. His previous anger had morphed into a brooding silence. Obi-Wan knelt beside him and held out a cup of freshly brewed sapir tea. Anakin took the cup in his hands and muttered a quiet, "Thank you."

Obi-Wan smiled and returned to his cushion. He blew on the steam of his own tea and waited. He'd become quite good at waiting in the years since he became master to the padawan before him.

"I'm angry all the time," Anakin finally broke the silence.

"That has not escaped my notice," Obi-Wan said. "And it worries me, Anakin."

"I've just been angry for so long. Dooku made it so easy. . ."

"You are no longer subject to his whim," Obi-Wan set his tea down on the low table. "Do not let his mark of hatred remain with you."

"I can't do it by myself," Anakin whispered into his teacup.

Relief, so palpable it stung his eyes, spread through Obi-Wan's chest. He had to take a few steadying breaths before he allowed himself to speak. "Recognising that is the first step to freeing yourself from the pain you bear."

Anakin drained his tea and wiped all traces of emotion from his face. Obi-Wan left his own tea forgotten on the table, and watched his padawan regain his composure.

"We should both get some sleep," Obi-Wan finally said. He took the empty cup from Anakin's hands and said, "We'll speak more in the morning."

Anakin nodded his head and stood. Before he disappeared behind a closed door, he said, "Good night, master."

Obi-Wan heaved a silent sigh and listened to the Force as he set about cleaning the cups. All was calm. Feeling hopeful that his padawan had finally chosen to walk down the path of mending, Obi-Wan retired as well. For a time he lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. He wondered if Qui-Gon understood what a monumental undertaking he'd assigned him, when—with his last breath—he made Obi-Wan promise to train the boy.

But, Qui-Gon could not have foreseen Dooku's betrayal and Anakin's ordeal. He also could not have foreseen Obi-Wan's struggle to bring the boy back into balance. _Yet this is what Qui-Gon trained me for,_ Obi-Wan decided. _All my training, from the moment I was brought to the Temple, has led me to this point. I must not fail Anakin here and now._

He closed his eyes and quieted his mind. Within moments he was asleep. Obi-Wan dreamt of sand storms and rocky desert canyons.

* * *

True to his word Obi-Wan woke Anakin at the crack of dawn, much to the young man's chagrin, and promptly sent him to join the morning katas under Master Korkol's lead. For a human man nearing a century in age he was still well capable of leading classes of eager students in the ancient forms. His lessons were informal, and anyone who wished could join the old master in his morning ritual. Obi-Wan found it to be a soothing way to begin the day, and hoped that Anakin would experience it in a similar vein.

Yet on this particular morning Obi-Wan did not join them, as he had an important matter to tend to. Yoda met him in the Room of the Thousand Fountains some time between waking and breakfast.

"Ready to heed your council again, is he?" the ancient master asked.

"I believe so, master," Obi-Wan said. "He has much still to overcome, but he's realised that he cannot do it alone."

"Good," Yoda nodded his head. "Agree with you I do. Resume his place at your side Skywalker will. A task I already have for you."

"We are ready, master."

Yoda shuffled forth slowly along the stone walkway. Obi-Wan kept pace beside him. Around them the fountains and waterfalls provided a tranquil backdrop to the early morning. Jedi sat in meditation postures all around the grounds.

"Requested Jedi protection for Senator Amidala the Chancellor has," Yoda said.

"She is here on Coruscant?" Obi-wan made no attempt to hide his surprise.

"Arrived this morning she did," Yoda said. "An attempt on her life was made, but fortunately unhurt she is."

"Because of the debates," Obi-Wan voiced his realisation. "She is a strong and influential voice against the Military Creation Act."

"Yes. To protect her, assigned Siri Tachi and her padawan the council has," Yoda said.

Obi-Wan frowned, confused. If Jedi have already been assigned, why was Yoda even mentioning it to him. As if reading his thoughts Yoda expressed his mirth with a chuckle.

"Obstinate Senator Amidala is," Yoda said. "Wish for Jedi protection she does not. Tame her spirit familiar faces perhaps will."

"I see," Obi-Wan said. "Our mandate is to. . . break the ice? Forgive me master, but it seems like a waste of resources. Anakin and I can be more useful than to play at diplomacy between Senator Amidala and Siri Tachi. Both women are more than capable of handling their own introductions. In fact, I expect they'll get along quite well, considering their temperaments are of similar ilk."

"A good argument you make, Obi-Wan," Yoda's ears twitched and a muscle in his cheek jumped. "A test this will be for your padawan. If accept these orders he can, then a new mission the council will have for you."

"This situation is still a little unclear to me, master," Obi-Wan said. "What prompted this?"

Yoda sighed. "Ask for you and Skywalker specifically the Chancellor did. Deny his request the council has, on grounds that uncertain your padawan's state of mind still is. Yes, progress he has made. Ready for a protection detail, the council is not so certain. Yet still the Chancellor thinks that familiar faces are needed. To reassure the Chancellor we have granted his wish, but still a test for Skywalker will this be. Observe him carefully you must, Obi-Wan."

"And you chose this specific master and padawan for the protection detail because there would be no better way to test Anakin's self-control than to assign Ferus Olin to a duty Anakin may feel he is better suited to," Obi-Wan glanced down at the wily old Jedi. He had to admit it was clever, if a bit underhanded.

An unyielding politician, a reckless padawan, and a one-sided rivalry that has driven said padawan to irrationality in the past. _Force, give me strength,_ Obi-Wan thought as he realised what he would soon have to deal with.

* * *

The senatorial residential complex was a proper permacrete monster. Set adjacent to the circular Senate building it housed senators from all corners of the galaxy. The turbolifts had floor to ceiling transparisteel walls that offered a wide view of the Coruscanti skyline. Obi-Wan and Anakin stood with their backs turned to the view as they ascended up the tall structure.

"Does this assignment upset you?" The older man asked, noting the displeased set of his padawan's mouth and browline.

"I'm not upset, master," Anakin said. "I just don't see why two teams are necessary, that's all."

"It's a simple matter of easing you back into your full duties," Obi-Wan told the half-truth with the charisma of an expert negotiator.

"Don't get me wrong, master. I am grateful," Anakin rubbed a sleeve across his brow. "But I still think four Jedi for one protection detail is overkill."

Obi-Wan didn't tell Anakin that he agreed with him. Instead he studied the little droplets that formed on the young man's upper lip. A small grin broke out across Obi-Wan's face, now sensing his padawan's nervous disposition. "You're sweating, relax!" He said.

Anakin shuffled from left foot to right foot and looked around the lift in discomfort, then said, "I haven't seen her in ten years, master."

 _Ah, he hasn't forgotten his childhood infatuation,_ Obi-Wan realised. "Remember, Anakin. She is a politician."

"She's not like other politicians," Anakin argued.

Obi-Wan would have responded with a minor reprimand to keep his thoughts on the mission, but at that moment the turbolift doors opened to reveal the other pair of Jedi, waiting for them in the hallway leading to senator Amidala's temporary lodgings.

"You're late," Siri said, her voice containing a note of minor annoyance. Next to her Ferus stood with stoic poise, arms folded into opposite sleeves. His long padawan braid dangled over his right shoulder. "We were supposed to relieve the Security Forces twelve minutes ago."

"The role reversal is an unexpected change, master," Ferus said quietly.

Obi-Wan and Siri both turned to stare at the padawan. His face remained a mask of impassivity, but the Force was alight with his amusement. It was no secret that Siri Tachi roamed on the tardy side of timeliness. For Ferus to point it out was a testament to the young man's evolution.

"Ferus, did you just make a joke?" Obi-Wan said, his face poised in a forced seriousness. He turned his head and caught his friend's eye. "There may be hope for your padawan yet, Siri."

A bashful lowering of the eyes and a small twitch of one side of Ferus' mouth was all they got in response. Siri rolled her blue eyes and smiled as she turned around to lead the way to the senator's apartment.

"Come on," she sighed.

Obi-Wan lingered long enough to watch as Anakin and Ferus acknowledged each other with simple nods, then swept down the hallway behind Siri. Brown cloak billowed in his wake as he increased his pace to draw level with her.

"Did Yoda fill you in?" Obi-Wan kept his voice just above a whisper.

"Yes," Siri said, keeping her voice low as well. "I do not appreciate being pawn in one of Master Yoda's games, but I understand the necessity. Let's just hope things remain civil."

They reached the doorway and activated the com-device set into the wall beside it. Within moments the face of a security official appeared on the small monitor. After confirming that they were Jedi he let them inside and handed them a datapad. Siri quickly filled in all the necessary information, and finished signing responsibility for senator Amidala's safety over to them.

"That's it then," the security official said. "Luck be with you."

Obi-Wan raised a single brow at the man's quickly retreating form. He turned his head towards the opposite side of the apartment when he sensed the vibrant presence of Padme Amidala.

"Master Kenobi," she smiled when she saw him.

Obi-Wan bowed politely in greeting and said, "Senator, it's a pleasure to see you again."

Her eyes strayed to the young man behind him before she formed a response. Her eyes widened slightly. "Ani? Is that you?" At Anakin's polite bow, mirroring his master's, she said, "My you've grown."

"So have you," Anakin said quietly. "Far more beautiful, I mean."

Behind Anakin's back Siri met Obi-Wan's eye with a raised eyebrow. He chose to ignore the question in her eyes, as well as his padawan's inappropriate comment, then stepped forward to catch the senator's attention again. "Senator, may I introduce Siri Tachi and her padawan, Ferus Olin."

The pair stepped forward and bowed.

"We will ensure your safety, senator," Siri said.

"I'm sure you will Master Tachi," Padme nodded her head. "Though I do not agree with such a heavy security detail. It's an unnecessary waste of manpower."

"I agree," Siri said and gave the three male Jedi a meaningful look before meeting the Senator's eyes again. The implication was clear within the teasing humour and Padme burst out laughing, bringing a hand up to hide her smile.

Once she composed herself again she turned to face Obi-Wan, "I like her."

Obi-Wan laughed behind closed lips. "I thought you might," he said.

"Why don't your padawans check the perimeter security while we discuss a few things," Padme said. It was less a suggestion and more a command, and Obi-Wan had expected nothing less of the fiery young woman.

"An excellent idea," Obi-Wan said, then turned to face Anakin and Ferus. "You heard the senator."

Ferus made a neat bow and turned to leave to perform his assigned duty. Anakin lingered for a moment, his face betraying a rising argument. But Obi-Wan's stern gaze stopped him from voicing any discontent. He smiled briefly, bowed and left as well.

Padme indicated for them to take a seat on the lavish couches. They did as instructed and as the conversation was about to start up Obi-Wan's comlink chimed. He took it out of his belt, looked at the name of the caller and frowned. Both woman looked at him expectantly. He briefly met their eyes and said, "Forgive me, senator. This can't wait."

Obi-Wan stood and walked the short distance to the ceiling-high windows and answered his comlink.

"Tyro, I did not expect to hear from you s—"

"You must come quick, my friend," Tyro interrupted with fast words. Obi-Wan heard more than sensed his distress.

"You've discovered something already?"

"It's terrible, Obi-Wan. I've found evidence of a clandestine financial group ca—"

The comlink cut out to static.

"Tyro?" Obi-Wan said, his heart leaping to his throat. He checked his comlink. It was functioning perfectly. Which meant that Tyro had been cut off.

"He sounded panicked, Obi-Wan," Siri said.

Obi-Wan turned to face the two women on the couch. Padme looked curious, but Siri's eyes betrayed the same chilling concern that had swept his heart into a frenzy.

"I must go," Obi-Wan said.

"I have this handled," Siri nodded. "Go."

With Force-enhanced reflexes and speed he rushed out the front door and through the wide hallway of the complex. Tyro's office was in the senate building. Practically spitting distance. He'd get there faster if he leaped down the outer walkways and sprinted across their lengths than he would with a speeder in traffic lanes.

Obi-Wan pushed himself hard, cut through a service access corridor and exited the building through a maintenance portal. He practically flew down eleven flights of stairs towards the nearest crosswalk structure and continued his sprint, his cloak billowing out behind him.

He had a very bad feeling.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: You may recognise some scenes in the later parts of this chapter. I found that it is necessary to tie in certain film events into the tale I am weaving. There will be a few scenes in future chapters as well that you may recognise. I tried to limit them and change them enough so as not to bore the reader.

* * *

RESOLVE II

* * *

5.

When Obi-Wan arrived on the level where Tyro's office was located the Force was steadily suffusing with panic. He sensed the lifeforms move around him, separated only by the hallways and doorways, and felt their fear before he saw it on their faces as he sped by through the corridors of the Senate building. The closer he got to Tyro's office, the more chaotic their feelings became.

Obi-Wan took a deep breath mid-stride and allowed their fear and their panic to flow through him, leaving him alert to their terror but unaffected by it. He swept past a few familiar faces he'd seen in passing, but whose names he didn't know, and turned the final corner.

Tyro's office was in complete disarray.

"Master Jedi!" A human man exclaimed upon seeing him. "Something terrible has happened!"

 _Clearly,_ Obi-Wan thought with no small amount of annoyance and trepidation. He'd felt it in the Force long before he saw the visual evidence. With practised ease he clamped down on his vexation and swept past the man still yammering away. His words had taken on the coherency of unintelligible drivel.

The sliding door to Tyro's office stood open. Obi-Wan felt a strong breeze flow through the doorway. Steeling himself against what he suspected he would find, he stepped through the doorway and carefully peered around the room. His cloak billowed out around him, and slapped against his frame as the wind buffeted it.

The transparisteel window had been blow to pieces.

 _No shards within the office space,_ Obi-Wan put the pieces together as he surveyed the room. _The window was blown out from the inside._

Tyro was nowhere within sight.

Obi-Wan stepped over a stack of fallen holo-documents and made his way to the gaping maw of the destroyed window. He glanced over the edge and his heart caught in his throat.

A crowd had already formed on the walkway five stories below his vantage point. And in the centre of the mass of curious and horrified onlookers a small figure lay prone. Obi-Wan swallowed down the lump in his throat. He now had a duty to perform.

With the grace of a seasoned Jedi he leaped out the window and used to Force to slow his decent and cushion his landing. His arrival startled the onlookers, but he paid them no mind as he crouched down next to the small form of his Svivreni friend. Obi-Wan sensed no life in him, but he brought a steady hand to the pulse point beneath Tyro's jawline anyway. In some childish corner of his mind he'd hoped to find a beat.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes and briefly contemplated the loss of life. Tyro was a singularly good being, and he did not deserve what fate had bestowed upon him. Yet there was nothing to be done about it now. Obi-Wan felt peace in the knowledge that Tyro had returned to the Force. And that had to be enough.

Obi-Wan straightened to his full height and cast a stern glance over the onlookers. Some were frightened, some morbidly curious, but all seemed to share a sense of apprehension.

"Did anyone see what happened?" Obi-Wan asked in a loud, clear voice.

Not a single being was eager to speak to the stern Jedi. They stood before him in their extravagant dress, their flashy decoration, and all exuded a simple callousness that had Obi-Wan clamp down on his irritation once more. He realised that they felt nothing for the loss of life, and cared only about the spectacle it created.

Disgusted with their lack of compassion he turned away from them and cast his eyes over the duracrete surface of the walkway. Small shards of transparisteel littered the area.

The crowd's murmurings began anew as the shock of the Jedi's arrival wore off. The word _suicide_ was thrown around and Obi-Wan had to work hard to restrain himself from having a very unbecoming outburst. Tyro would never have taken his own life.

There was something he had desperately been trying to tell Obi-Wan.

 _This was murder,_ Obi-Wan knew it as he knew every component of his lightsaber. _They killed Tyro to protect whatever information it was he discovered._

It would only be a matter of time before the Security Forces arrived. Obi-Wan kneeled down next to Tyro and rested his hands on his knees. He closed his eyes and shut out the curious voices of the onlookers.

In the middle of the public walkway, concerned with neither the crowd nor the corpse of his friend, Obi-Wan drifted to and became one with the Force. He searched through its vast oceans for a hostile presence nearby. Avarice was everywhere, and so were the egocentric and the envious, the prideful and the lustful. Hidden beneath the veil of rotten spirits he found glimmers of hopeful and compassionate ones.

All these he ignored.

What he sought was far darker. Through the Force everything was connected, and it wasn't long until a wrathful presence leaped out at him. But this was not what Obi-Wan was searching for, he knew. The wrath was too young, still untested. No, he was looking for a killer. A void existed in the labyrinth and Obi-Wan tried to focus in on its unique presence. The more he tried to grasp at it the further it slipped away, as though it wished not to be found and reacted instinctively to avoid his searching presence.

A spike of pure hatred penetrated the veil, then disappeared as quickly as it came.

Obi-Wan's eyes snapped open and he glanced upwards at the same moment he leaped to his feet and activated his lightsaber. His eyes focused in on the Senate building above him, indistinct feeling and instinct telling him it came from the large circular construct.

The gasps and terrified exclamations of the crowd had him return to his senses.

No sign of the hateful presence remained. Obi-Wan deactivated his lightsaber and slowly stowed it at his side. He heard the sirens announcing the Security Forces' arrival and turned his gaze to meet them. Droids quickly began to herd the onlookers away and established a perimeter around the scene.

A human man, a sergeant by his insignia, approached Obi-Wan. His face betrayed his disinterest and his mind was elsewhere, Obi-Wan sensed.

"You Jedi move fast," he said with a bored tone. "But we'll take it from here. Standard suicide is what it looks like."

"Do not be so hasty. I was on comms with the victim," Obi-Wan explained. "His connection was cut and when I arrived at his office the—"

"Whoa whoa, slow down," the officer said, both hands raised in a placating gesture. "We have procedures to follow. I would take your statement, but that duty actually falls to Estoo."

Obi-Wan looked past the man and saw a droid approach. _Typical_ , Obi-Wan thought.

"Listen to me very carefully, sergeant," Obi-Wan said in a voice that demanded attention. "This man would never have killed himself. You must approach this as a case of murder or you'll be failing in your duties."

The man balked at Obi-Wan's less than subtle reprimand. Then shrugged a shoulder and said, "All right, all right, Master Jedi. I'm not one to go against your mystical mumbo-jumbo, not that I particularly believe in it one way or another. I'll take your statement and then I'd like you to clear out, all right?"

Obi-Wan did not appreciate the patronising tone the man used, but years of practice in diplomacy bolstered him as he gave the officer a polite bow and began to recite every facet of his discoveries throughout the scene. He included all of the visual details, and omitted all of the Force-born ones. Estoo, or S2-SO6 as its number indicated, stood dutifully behind the officer and recorded everything.

"All right, you got everything Estoo?" The officer asked his droid after Obi-Wan finished his statement.

"I have detailed voice recordings and have already translated them to text for the archival report, sergeant," Estoo said, it's vocabulator sounded like something between a man and a toneless machine.

"All right, Master Jedi," the officer pulled his mouth into an unimpressed line. "We got what we need from you. On your way then."

"I must make one last study of the victim's office before I leave," Obi-Wan said. He loathed referring to Tyro as a victim, but to refer to him by name would show an attachment that would be inappropriate for a Jedi. And whatever feelings he had, however he managed to cover them up until he was able to work through them, that fact remained. He was a Jedi.

"What for?" The officer asked rudely.

"Mystical mumbo-jumbo, sergeant," Obi-Wan said over his shoulder as he headed for the nearest entrance to the senate building. He did not look back when the officer snorted his disdain, and he did not look back at the small, broken body of his friend.

* * *

Siri checked the seals on the transparisteel doorway that led to the balcony for any imperfections. Satisfied that all was as it should be she turned back to the senator, who sat comfortably on the couch with a cup of tea in hand. She turned towards the front doorway when she sensed her apprentice and Skywalker approach. They entered one after the other. Ferus gave a respectful bow before giving his concise report.

"Everything is in order, master," he said. "Perimeter sensors are functional and all possible entry points have been secured."

"Very good, Ferus. Thank you," Siri said.

"Where's master Obi-Wan?" Anakin asked. His question was directed at Siri, but his eyes looked past her at Padme on the couch. "I sensed him rushing off."

"He received a communication that demanded his attention," Siri said plainly. "You're with me and Ferus until he returns."

"And with Padme," Anakin said, a small grin spread across his face.

"Keep your mind on your duties, padawan," Siri instructed with a stony gaze.

"Yes master," Anakin's grin dropped from his face and his eyes dropped to the floor.

"I'm sure you two have it handled for the time being," Padme adressed Siri and Ferus. "I actually wouldn't mind catching up with Anakin. It has been ten years, after all. I'm sure he has many great stories to tell me. He'd only just become Obi-Wan's apprentice when last I saw him."

Siri considered the less than subtle request for a moment. Her posture remained rigid, and her unease with the situation displayed clearly in her blue eyes. Finally, she relented. "Very well, senator. But only a brief time. I do not approve of this shirking of duties, even at your own behest."

"Duly noted, Master Tachi," Padme said. "I won't keep him long."

Siri watched as Padme and Anakin disappeared into the kitchen. She then turned towards the large windows and looked out to the senate building. She could sense a commotion, but the distance was too great to catch even a glimpse of what was happening there. She hoped it was nothing serious.

"Is everything all right, master?" Ferus asked quietly, no doubt sensing her disquiet.

"That remains to be seen," she said.

"Are you concerned about our mission?" Ferus drew level with her and folded his hands into opposite sleeves of his brown cloak. Siri turned to face him. She had to look up.

"You know," she said conversationally. "I remember a time when _you_ had to look up at _me_. When did you get so tall?"

"Now I know there is something amiss," Ferus said, his eyebrows quirking into a small frown of concern.

Siri sighed. Training a padawan meant that eventually they would turn the tables on you. Ferus was seeing beyond the pleasant veneer and into the concern she hid beneath it. "I do sense a disturbance, Ferus, but I am not convinced that it's tied to our mandate," Siri said.

"Master Kenobi?" Ferus asked.

"Yes," Siri said. "He received a comm from a mutual friend while you and Anakin were checking the perimeter. I sense trouble."

"In my experience Master Kenobi has a way of attracting trouble," Ferus toed the line between professional decorum and amusement.

"That's because he can handle it," Siri said, her voice sober.

Ferus frowned, his dark brows drew together to form deep lines as he contemplated the floor. "Is everything a test, master?" He asked.

"In the life of a Jedi?" Siri turned to face him fully and waited until he met her eyes. Then she gave him a very emphatic, "Yes."

* * *

Obi-Wan walked past the retreating forensic droids and into Tyro's office. It had been marked as a crime scene, but no one tried to stop the Jedi. The giant hole in the window had been sealed with an atmospheric containment field, and as a result the wind no longer whipped through the space. All was quiet.

The light was beginning to fade to dusk.

Obi-Wan knelt in the centre of the room and closed his eyes. Tyro's death had left a heavy weight in his heart and on his shoulders. It was never easy to say a final farewell to a friend, and in addition to that the lawyer had discovered something of paramount importance. Both blows felt like jagged spears tearing through his soul. Obi-Wan practised a few breathing techniques to centre himself once more, then dropped into a deep meditation.

It did not come as easily as it did on Taanab—the Force was as filmy as the perpetual smog of Coruscant's lowest levels—but with effort Obi-Wan managed to root himself in the present. He felt the floor beneath his knees, the air around him, the desk to his left, and the window ahead. He heard the hum of the containment field, the near silent buzz of the ventilation system, and a distant voice speaking over an amplifying device.

The Force cleared the way and the room was suddenly filled with terror. Only Obi-Wan's experience kept him rooted in the vision as he felt Tyro's last moments fly through him. There'd been a visitor, but their face was obscured in darkness. It cleared for a moment, then warped away the light again. There was no clarity where the person had stood and their voice was muffled, the words and tenor unrecognisable. Tyro had been mildly curious, then apprehensive. And then terrified.

The person had lunged and Tyro had ducked beneath their outstretched arm, his smaller stature had offered him a moment to escape. But the person had been quick as well and with the brutality of a well-trained killer they'd caught Tyro by the throat and in one fluid motion had snapped the small Svivreni's neck.

A sonic blaster had shattered the transparisteel window then, and Tyro's body had been carelessly thrown out the window.

Obi-Wan emerged from his meditation with tears running down his cheeks. The salty rivers disappeared into the strands of his light auburn beard. He wiped his face, cleared his throat and stood. Regret over involving Tyro coursed through his being.

 _I got him killed,_ Obi-Wan thought miserably. He inhaled deeply, then breathed out the regret and the pain. It could not help Tyro, and it would only hinder him as he moved forward. It was in the past now, and that's where he would leave it.

Obi-Wan was about to vacate when a small, cube-shaped toy caught his eye. It sat in the corner of a bookshelf, unassuming and ordinary. And yet a compulsion drove Obi-Wan towards it. He picked the ivory-coloured cube up, and noted its segmented sides. A spacial puzzle. He'd seen Tyro fiddle with it once or twice. Obi-Wan moved to place it back where he'd found it, but something stopped him. A feeling.

 _You're being sentimental,_ Obi-Wan accused himself. Shaking his head he pocketed the small toy and left.

By the time he reached senator Amidala's temporary abode again the Coruscanti sun had set on the district. A chill had settled in, even indoors, and Obi-Wan drew his cloak tight about his frame as he waited for someone to answer the door. It slid open to reveal a disgruntled Siri Tachi.

"When you said she was obstinate I had no idea you meant to the point of reckless idiocy," the fiery female Jedi whispered.

"What did I miss?" Obi-Wan raised a single eyebrow as he stepped past Siri into the apartment.

"She's retired for the evening," Siri said, tucking stray hairs back behind her ear.

"I'm afraid I don't see the problem," Obi-Wan took off his cloak and threw it neatly over the back of the couch. It was significantly warmer in the living space than out in the hallway. His stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten since morning.

"She refused to let any of us stand watch within her room," Siri said, watching passively as Obi-Wan popped dry rations from his belt pouch into his mouth. "There's real food on Coruscant, Obi-Wan."

"Hm?" Obi-Wan glanced around, distracted. "Where are our padawans?"

"They're doing a final perimeter check."

"And no one is inside with Padme," Obi-Wan finally met Siri's eyes. "By her demands. Unwise, but not unexpected."

"Her astromech is with her," Siri frowned. "She has faith that it will warn us if there's any danger. Which, by the way, she seems to be courting."

"You have to admire her spirit though," Obi-Wan grinned at Siri. "Reminds me of someone I know."

Siri sighed and rolled her eyes.

The padawans returned from their sweep and joined their masters by the couch. No one sat down, and for a moment no one spoke.

"Your idea, Anakin?" Obi-Wan finally broke the silence, rolling back onto his heels and then to his toes.

"What?"

"Artoo," Obi-Wan said by way of explanation and jerked his head in the direction of Padme's private room.

"It was her idea, master," Anakin said with a half smile. "But I did agree with her. I can sense everything that goes on in that room."

Siri turned away to hide her smile while Ferus raised a sceptical eyebrow.

"Your senses are not quite so attuned, my very young apprentice," Obi-Wan said.

"And yours are?" Anakin grinned.

"Possibly," Obi-Wan stuffed another piece of dry ration into his mouth. The action drew Anakin's attention and he looked at Obi-Wan with confusion.

"Where were you all day today, master?" Anakin asked.

Three pairs of expectant eyes turned to Obi-Wan. He chewed his dry rations thoughtfully, wishing for a cup of water to magically appear. He didn't quite want to talk about his day. He swallowed.

"A story for another. . ." Obi-Wan trailed off and frowned. He sensed two small presences moving in the next room. They exuded a single-minded desire to feed. The Force warned of danger and Obi-Wan turned towards the door the same moment Anakin turned his head sharply towards Padme's room.

"I sense it too," Siri said.

The four Jedi raced towards the room. Anakin took the lead, his lightsaber coming to life. He leaped onto the bed and neatly sliced the two venomous centipedes in half. Padme woke with a start.

Obi-Wan's attention was on the window, where he saw a seeker droid hovering by a small round hole in the transparisteel window. It took note of the Jedi and veered backwards.

Reacting on Force-born instinct Obi-Wan ran towards the window and jumped. He drew the Force around him in an arrowhead shape, and slammed into the weakened point of the window with such might that the transparisteel shattered. He latched onto the droid with both hands and held on for dear life.

Chasing down whatever bounty hunter had Padme's mark was not part of their mandate—technically Obi-Wan and Anakin weren't even on this protection detail—but after the day's events Obi-Wan was in no mood to let an opportunity like this slide. He had confidence that Siri and Ferus would stay with and protect the senator. Anakin. . . Well, Anakin was a different matter, but he truly hoped the young man's reckless instincts were still intact after the two year hiatus from Jedi training, because a warning in the Force told Obi-Wan that soon he would need help.

Obi-Wan noticed a presence on a nearby rooftop. It shone with the fear of being prey, a need to hide from the hunter tracking it. Obi-Wan's eyes landed on the figure the moment the seeker droid above him got shot and lost all power, and began plummeting.

 _Oh, here we go,_ Obi-Wan thought as he began falling through the brightly lit traffic lanes. He increased his wind-resistance by turning his belly towards the planet's surface, and further slowed his descent as much as he could with the Force. His eyes darted around for a possible anchor point for his cable launcher, should he need it.

Relief pumped through his veins when a speeder pulled in underneath him, guided downwards expertly in tune with Obi-Wan's falling velocity. He touched down gently on the back of the chassis, and quickly pulled himself into the passenger seat.

"Nice timing," Obi-Wan said with carefully measured sarcasm.

"Next time you lecture me about being reckless I'd like you to think about this moment," Anakin grinned.

"There," Obi-Wan pointed to the fleeing bounty hunter. Anakin pushed the throttle and broke about twelve traffic laws as he sped after the indicated airspeeder.

It led them on a chase towards the industrial sector. The bounty hunter was an excellent pilot, but with carefully weighed pride Obi-Wan noted that Anakin had lost none of his instinctual piloting ability. They kept pace with the bounty hunter's quick vehicle, and began to close the gap when they reached the power station that separated Coruscant's commercial and red light districts.

"Get as close as you can," Obi-Wan said as he leaned slightly forward in his seat.

Anakin gunned the accelerator, twisting and turning through the imaginary race track the bounty hunter led them through. He closed the gap to within a single speeder length, and that's when his master stretched an arm out forward.

Obi-Wan drew on the Force, surrounding the bounty hunter's speeder with its power. He closed his fist and the resulting screech and tear of metal went almost unheard as the wind rushed through their ears in the open-air cockpit. With it's engine completely crushed the bounty hunter's speeder lost velocity and began gliding downwards with the emergency repulsors.

Blaster fire veered towards them from the bounty hunter's speeder, and Anakin engaged in quick evasive manoeuvres while Obi-Wan tried to keep the bounty hunter in sight. The vehicle drifted down into a swarm of people.

When Anakin touched the speeder down in the middle of the walkway, much to Obi-Wan's chagrin, he leaped out and rushed towards the club where they'd seen the figure run into.

"Wait Anakin!" Obi-Wan yelled to get his padawan's attention while he calmly climbed out of the speeder.

"We're going to lose him, master!" Anakin threw his hands in the air.

"He went in there to hide, not to run," Obi-Wan said, then calmly walked into the club. Anakin followed sullenly behind.

"Now what?" Anakin said as they walked into the loud hall. Synth music played and neon light bounced off the walls. Sentients everywhere were dancing and drinking, some shamelessly engaged in amorous behaviour.

Obi-Wan looked passed everything, focusing on neither the vibrant colours nor the moving bodies. He was centred in the Force, seeking the presence he'd felt earlier. "Find the bounty hunter," he said to Anakin, then veered off in the opposite direction.

"Well where are you going?" Anakin asked.

Obi-Wan turned around and faced Anakin with raised eyebrows. "For a drink," he said, then turned his back on Anakin again. He smiled to himself when he felt Anakin's pique echo through the Force. The young man had so much still to learn.

Upon reaching the bar Obi-Wan ordered a drink and kept his mind on the ebb and flow of the bounty hunter's presence. They were moving at a sedate pace across the vast floor of the club.

A blue fluorescent drink in a small glass was placed before him. Obi-Wan downed it in one shot and replaced the glass on the counter. As focused as he was on the presence moving closer to him, he barely tasted it.

Another drink was placed in front of Obi-Wan. He raised one eyebrow at the barman, who shrugged. Ignoring the drink Obi-Wan tightened his focus on the bounty hunter, who was coming up behind him then. He sensed the blaster being pulled free from its holster, and without any hesitation drew his lightsaber, swung around and disarmed the dangerous being. Obi-Wan was mildly surprised to find that the bounty hunter was, in fact, a woman.

He stowed his blade and helped the woman stay on her feet. Knowing defeat when it came she did not struggle. Obi-Wan guided her towards the back exit, Anakin following at their heels. The sudden hush that had fallen when the lightsaber swung loose evaporated in the aftermath, and the club-goers went back to business as usual. Only the barman seemed affected. He stared at the dismembered limb with distaste.

Outside Obi-Wan and Anakin gently set the bounty hunter down on the ground.

"Who hired you?" Anakin's voice held aggression, a promise of retribution if she didn't answer truthfully. Obi-Wan was about to reprimand Anakin, to demand he treat the being with compassion, when he caught sight of a secondary blaster holstered on her ankle.

The breath was struck from his lungs. It was the same sonic model he'd in his vision seen used to shatter Tyro's office window.

He felt it from her then. The pride of success. The fearless instinct, the satisfaction of having done her job well. He searched her mind. There was no anger, no hatred, only the dispassionate pride of a hired killer. Obi-Wan didn't know if that upset him more than if she would have turned out to be a bloodthirsty animal.

Here before him lay Tyro's killer. He was certain.

Struck speechless Obi-Wan merely stared at the bounty hunter while trying to keep his emotions in check. On the woman's opposite side Anakin was still trying to get information out of her. She seemed to be offering something up, but Obi-Wan could not hear her words over the blood rushing through his ears.

A warning in the Force then, but it came too late to save the woman. A dart hit her in the neck and she died almost instantly. Obi-Wan turned to look at the rooftop where he sensed a new presence. He saw what could only be a second bounty hunter fly away with a jetpack. The silhouette of his armour seemed familiar to Obi-Wan, but in the darkness and at the distance he couldn't be sure.

He turned back to the dead woman on the ground and pulled the dart from her neck.

"Toxic dart," he muttered.

"Great," Anakin said as he pushed himself to his feet. "A dead end."

"Perhaps," Obi-Wan said quietly, still trying to stamp down his shock.

It seemed that whoever wanted Senator Amidala dead had wanted Tyro dead. Somehow it was all connected.

Obi-Wan knew this much; A good bounty hunter didn't leave evidence. Which meant the man who just fled had been desperate to keep his secrets. And desperation gave way to carelessness, as the toxic dart in his hand proved. Perhaps that was the only link he would need to discover the truths still obscured.

After such a trying day, Obi-Wan prayed that it would be so.


	6. Chapter 6

To the Guest reviewer who left me those kind words, as well as to everyone who's dropped a review in the past; My sincerest thanks. It bolsters the spirit to know that people enjoy reading what I am writing.

To everyone still reading; Thank you for stopping by!

* * *

RESOLVE II

* * *

6.

Obi-Wan stared at the Holonet report with a detached sense of acceptance. The headline read _SENATORIAL AIDE DEAD UNDER MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES_. The article itself was rife with speculation, but it was clear from the tone of the piece that the reporter believed it to be a standard suicide. It didn't matter, apparently, that all his data had been fried and that the forensic report included a detailed list of injuries sustained _after_ death, meaning he was already dead when he'd hit the ground. The Jedi shook his head at the fact that the media had regressed to such baseless fiction. Sensationalism was a rot eating away at the Republic's values.

With a flick of his wrist Obi-Wan deactivated the holo terminal in his living quarters and stood. It didn't matter what the media said. Those who knew Tyro in life would know the truth of the matter. A Jedi's Force-perception wasn't something that could be entered into an official investigation as substantial evidence, regardless of the respect the Order was given, but when he'd spoken to Tyro's brother the day before it seemed he was at least able to give the family some closure.

It was rather coincidental how Obi-Wan ended up running into the killer the way he had. Then again, perhaps there was no such thing as coincidence. Tyro's murder had been solved, but the larger mystery remained. _Why_ had he been killed? What exactly did he uncover that prompted such drastic and immediate action?

 _It's terrible, Obi-Wan. I've found evidence of a clandestine financial group ca—_

The last words Tyro spoke to Obi-Wan bounced around his mind. _What was so terrible Tyro?_

Clandestine financial groups weren't that uncommon. Smart businessmen and women found all sorts of legal loopholes to keep their profit margins at a peak. But he'd asked Tyro to try and find a money trail that lead to Sifo-Dyas. And if he had. . .

Obi-Wan took the toxic dart out of a pouch in his utility belt. Dex had been certain about this too. Kamino saberdart.

A plot to kill Senator Amidala who opposed the creation of an Army of the Republic. . .

It all seemed to fit together almost too perfectly. The pieces were there, but the cement that bound them together was shrouded in suffocating mystery.

Tyro must have discovered this one, vital truth.

Obi-Wan rubbed a hand over his tired face. He'd barely slept, but that wasn't a new sensation in the least. It was a new day, and if he were fortunate the council would make its decision soon. They already approved his request to investigate Kamino, but the matter of his padawan was still unclear.

In light of the second assassination attempt on Senator Amidala, it was suggested that she go into hiding with a Jedi for the time being. Siri's report would determine how the council would divide the duties.

Having pulled his brown cloak over his shoulders Obi-Wan left his small domicile and headed for the refectory. He'd just set down his full tray to begin eating when Siri plopped down in the seat opposite him, her own tray dropped almost carelessly to the table's surface.

"I take it the morning hasn't run smoothly." Obi-Wan speculated before stuffing a fork full of scrambled egg into his mouth.

"I've just had a bad feeling gnawing at me for a while now," Siri said, picking up her own fork. "With everything that's happened lately I'm starting to wonder if it's all going to explode in our faces."

"There is something elusive that I can't quite grasp," Obi-Wan agreed. "But we shouldn't let it unsettle us. We need to focus on what we know and what we can do."

"You're right," Siri loaded her fork with a piece of muja fruit and began eating.

"I take it you've already reported to the council your observations about Anakin's conduct," Obi-Wan said. "What do you think?"

"He's conducted himself in a manner befitting a Jedi," Siri said. "He took direction with humility, was alert to the task, and didn't appear to be making a competition of it with Ferus. Apart from being overly friendly with the Senator, which could be explained away with their past familiarity I suppose, I saw nothing that would suggest he isn't ready to resume regular duties. I told the council as much, and they said they'll dole out our new orders this afternoon."

Obi-Wan nodded his head, silently wondering if the council truly would allow Anakin to go all the way out past the Rishi Maze with him. Perhaps they would turn the Kamino investigation over to Siri and Ferus. Obi-Wan wanted to take care of that avenue, but if that's what the council decided he would have to simply accept it.

"When are we relieving our padawans?" Obi-Wan asked. "By now they must have exhausted each other."

"Oh I doubt it," Siri smiled. "They seemed to be getting along."

"That's a surprise," Obi-Wan said. When Siri raised a single perfect brow he amended his statement. "For Anakin, I mean. You must have heard what happened in the salle a while back."

"Ferus mentioned it, yes," Siri said. "I don't know what you said to that padawan of yours afterwards, but it obviously struck a chord with him. I've never seen him so agreeable around Ferus before. You're working wonders with him, Obi-Wan."

"I'm not sure how much credit I can take for that," he said. Then, thinking about the dreams Anakin was having about his mother, he added, "He still carries a heavy burden."

"So do you," Siri said, her tone quiet and serious.

Obi-Wan had no counterpoint to her observation, so he said nothing and continued eating his morning meal. He knew that his own burdens would not be lifted until Anakin proved to be what Qui-Gon Jinn had so stoutly believed him to be.

* * *

The woodland scents of the arboretum provided a natural comfort to the otherwise rigid staleness of Coruscant's cityscape. It was almost a contradiction that Jedi grew up on a planet where natural wonders had long since become a thing of the past. Then again, the Jedi Temple was unlike any other structure built upon the city planet. It stood apart from everything else, much like the Jedi did from society at large. The boundaries of the temple were like a physical representation of the separation that existed between the Jedi and other sentients.

Obi-Wan considered this as he slowly wove his way through one of the arboretum's winding paths. The Jedi were but a drop in the vast galactic sea. Ten thousand among trillions. They kept to themselves and their ways were closely guarded. For good reason, of course. But Obi-Wan wondered if their separation from society would one day hinder the Jedi. His dealings with the sergeant had been, in hindsight, illuminating. _Mystical mumbo-jumbo_ he'd called it. The man was ignorant of the Force, despite its perpetual flow through his being. A flow that would only cease once he died. Obi-Wan could sense living beings precisely because of that flow. All Jedi could.

The calm spirits of his fellow Jedi shone bright in the Force around him. In the arboretum many found serenity among the nature that bloomed there. Yet today Obi-Wan sensed a few energetic spirits among the subdued tranquillity. No doubt one of the crèche masters brought their band of little brigands to frolic among the greenery. It wasn't long until he visually identified a group of boys and girls crawling under the upturned tree root of a particularly old specimen. The children looked to be about the age of six, their species ranging from human to togruta.

Above him a little beacon shone. Obi-Wan looked up, curious. A little human girl with dark curls looked down at her agemates from the cover of a high branch. Now Obi-Wan understood. The younglings were engaging in the age-old tradition of hide and seek. Perhaps a simple game for Force-deprived children, but for Force-sensitive children it added an extra challenge for both the ones hiding and the ones seeking. The little girl's spirit was dulled by her mischievous need to hide, and her friends did not yet have the necessary perception to detect her.

Obi-Wan grinned. She was good.

He turned his eyes back to the group of children still occupied with their search. Some shrugged their shoulders, as though giving up. A human boy closed his eyes, a small frown appeared between his brows as he concentrated. Obi-Wan could feel the fledgeling senses of the boy reach out around him. But there was too much going on in the arboretum, and Obi-Wan knew the boy would not detect the girl. Behind him, the togruta youngling sniffed the air and turned around in a circle with focused eyes. Now _there_ was a little hunter. All things considered, with his superior sight he probably had the best chance of finding the girl in the tree.

If only he would look up.

Obi-Wan sensed the crèche master before he spoke.

"They put things into perspective, don't they?"

"I suppose that depends on your point of view," Obi-Wan turned to face Master Ali-Alann and gave him a teasing grin. "You grew smaller with the years, master."

"And yet I am still the same size I was when I could pick you up with one hand," Ali-Alann laughed. "But point made, Kenobi. I dare not go against you in a battle of wits. Time and experience would only have sharpened that silver tongue of yours."

"The line between useful and detrimental is quite fine in this instance, master," Obi-Wan said. "But I like to think my caretakers have imparted me the wisdom to know the difference."

"In other words, you've learned when to hold your tongue?" Ali-Alann's chuckle was rich and deep.

"And when not to, master," Obi-Wan said.

"Now you're simply talking in circles," Ali-Alann accused with a compassionate smile and a raised finger. "I suppose that's one childhood tell you still have. What troubles you?"

Obi-Wan shrugged and watched the younglings fan out around the area.

"I await the council's decision on a matter of significance, master," he said. "It has to do with a discovery I made some time ago, and now it's beginning to unravel. The implications are wrought with danger."

"On how large a scale?" Ali-Alann asked.

"I cannot measure it," Obi-Wan said, and with some alarm realised it was true. He had no way of knowing how deep the mystery went. Kamino was only one part of the puzzle, and even that would be shrouded in mystery until a Jedi set foot there to uncover its secrets. But he would be patient. The council would soon call on him and give him his new mandate.

A tiny spark of fear had Obi-Wan raise his eyes to the canopy above and lift an arm towards the small bundle suddenly falling towards the hard ground beneath. He instinctively slowed the youngling's descent with the Force, and she hovered down gracefully. When she was within arm's reach Obi-Wan plucked her out of the air.

"Hello there," he said. The girl giggled. All fear forgotten. Obi-Wan recognised her now. He'd had a brief interaction with the youngling in the Halls of Healing two years previous. "You look familiar. Have we met?"

The girl nodded her head.

Behind them Ali-Alann released a relieved sigh. "This is Talsi Yutal, and she inherited your unconquerable attraction to adventure and mayhem."

Obi-Wan blinked. With the giggling youngling still clutched in his hands he abruptly turned towards Ali-Alann and said, "How would that work?"

"Only the Force knows," the crèche master said, half jesting.

Obi-Wan grinned and placed the youngling on the ground. He crouched down so he was eye-level with her and said, "Now Talsi, you must be more careful. Next time a master might not be around to catch you."

"But it was a good hiding spot, wasn't it?" The girl asked, her green eyes lit up in anticipation of his answer.

"The best! But now everyone knows about it, so you can't use it again. However. . ." Obi-Wan dropped his voice to a whisper and indicated for her to come closer. He glanced around conspiratorially and Talsi quickly leaned her ear towards him. A few younglings cast curious glances their way. "The best hiding spot is behind the waterfall next to the only gimer bush in the arboretum."

"I know the bush!" The girl exclaimed. She threw her arms around a stunned Obi-Wan's neck in a quick hug and then promptly dislodged herself and ran off towards her agemates.

"What did the master say?" One of the younglings asked her as they disappeared around a bend in the path.

Obi-Wan stayed crouched for a while. The worries about Kamino seemed so insignificant in the face of the pure trust and gratitude the girl had just shown him. Behind him Ali-Alann remained, silent, as though he knew what connections Obi-Wan was making within his mind. He probably did. Finally Obi-Wan straightened up to his full height once more.

"They _do_ put things into perspective, master," Obi-Wan said, his voice soft and sincere.

"They have a way of unburdening us. Even if it's just for a moment," Ali-Alann clapped a large hand against Obi-Wan's back and said, "May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan."

The crèche master followed his young charges around the bend then, leaving Obi-Wan standing alone in the middle of the path.

* * *

The airshuttle landed at the small, well-maintained visitor's platform of the Jedi Temple. Long ago a small section of the architecture had been set aside to welcome visitors. Its hallways were smaller and less spacious than those found elsewhere in the ziggurat, portraying a simple image of Jedi harmony. A poor imitation of the true splendour of the Jedi Temple, if you asked Siri Tachi.

She led the way into the entrance hall, nodding to anonymous guards as she passed them. Behind her Senator Amidala and Anakin Skywalker conversed quietly. The padawan had not once left the Senator's side since the incident with the deadly pair of Kouhun anthropods.

Skywalker was certainly competent, and his behaviour since the start of the mission had been respectful and agreeable. If the council was looking to find a reason to keep the young man from continuing his studies, there simply wasn't one that she could see. And that was perhaps more worrisome.

Had he truly recovered his balance so quickly, or was he simply doing an outstanding job covering up the cracks?

"I still think this is completely unnecessary," Senator Amidala said with that authoritative politician's voice.

 _This woman was a queen once,_ Siri reminded herself. She admired the Senator's bravery, but couldn't help questioning the wisdom of her stubbornness.

"It's not just for your own safety, Senator," Skywalker said. "If something were to happen to you the movement against the Military Creation Act would suffer."

"I'm aware of the big picture, Anakin," the Senator rebutted. "But the opposition could use this to weaken our support."

"I don't see how," Skywalker argued. "Everyone is fully aware of the stand you took for Naboo ten years ago, and of the recent assassination attempts. It is logical and wise to go into hiding until the perpetrators have been found. Anyone who tries to accuse you of being weak will be disregarded by their peers."

"I wish I shared your confidence in this matter, but the Senate isn't what it once was," Senator Amidala said, her voice carefully controlled despite the tension Siri sensed from her. "And I can't fight against its failings from a place of hiding."

They reached the guest lounge and Siri quickly signed the Senator in with the Jedi clerk on duty.

"Senator," Siri said, gaining the attention of the two still conversing behind her. She indicated to the young clerk and said, "This young man will take care of you until your Jedi escort is ready to depart."

"I was under the impression that you were my Jedi escort, Master Tachi," the Senator said.

"That may still be so," Siri said. "But in light of the recent assassination attempt and the evidence discovered, a team will be sent to investigate. Master Kenobi, myself, and our padawans will soon be meeting with the council to receive our updated mandates."

"I see," the Senator said. "I eagerly await the outcome."

"Anakin," Siri turned to the young man standing beside the Senator. "Don't be late." She gave him a meaningful look, telling him with her eyes that he needed to wrap up his socialising with the Senator quickly.

"Understood, master," Anakin bowed.

Siri turned on her heel and headed for the nearest turbolift. She'd already sent Ferus a comlink message to meet her at the council chambers, and she expected him to be there when she arrived. Ferus was always early to everything. A contrast to her occasional tardiness. Well, perhaps more than occasional, but she always had a good reason.

Every Jedi knight was exceedingly busy these days. And when Ferus passed his trials, he would be too.

Siri gave a subtle Force command upon reaching the turbolift, and soon she was travelling along the tubes to the spire that housed the chambers of the High Council. Obi-Wan was already there, seated outside on one of the couches. He held something in his hand and appeared to be deep in thought. Siri took a seat on the empty space next to him and studied the object in his hand.

"A puzzle box?" Siri said by way of greeting.

Obi-Wan glanced at her with a familiar seriousness, an almost brooding aura. He nodded his head and turned his attention back to the puzzle box. He spun its parts, fixing the geometric shapes, then arranged them in disarray again, before fixing them once more.

Siri inclined her head and wondered what he was thinking. "How many times have you shuffled and solved that thing?"

"I've lost count," Obi-Wan said. He kept at it, staring at the box as though he were trying to discover a secret. Perhaps he was.

Siri bit back a teasing response, sensing that it wasn't the time. "What's the significance of the box?" Siri asked instead.

"It belonged to Tyro," Obi-Wan said quietly, still moving the pieces around its slides and hinges to solve the intricate designs. The cube was fixed once more. Obi-Wan shuffled it again in a haphazard way.

Siri sighed softly. The Svivreni had grown on her after Obi-Wan introduced him to her years previous. He'd been a true friend to the Jedi and his death had been unexpected. His funeral wasn't for a few days, but considering the circumstances neither of them would be able to attend. Regardless of their duty it wasn't the Jedi way to wallow in grief.

 _There is no death, there is the Force._

Yet Obi-Wan was displaying some kind of obsessive behaviour, and Siri wasn't sure what to make of it.

"Maybe it would be a greater challenge if I shuffled it for you," Siri suggested, gauging his reaction.

"The puzzle is not the challenge," Obi-Wan said.

"What do you mean?" Siri asked.

"The challenge is understanding why I felt compelled to take it in the first place," Obi-Wan abandoned his frantic puzzle solving and allowed the cube to simply sit in the palm of his hand. "It's just a toy."

Siri looked at the little cube resting innocently on Obi-Wan's hand. On the surface it looked like just another puzzle box. She did not doubt Obi-Wan's instincts, but still Siri couldn't help but wonder if he'd simply taken the box because of sentiment.

A subtle pull at the edge of her senses prompted Siri to pull her gaze away from the box. She turned and watched as her padawan came walking down the hall. Ferus bowed once he reached them, then sat down on Siri's other side. He looked well-rested and ready.

Obi-Wan closed his hand around the puzzle box and placed it back inside one of his utility belt pockets. He glanced down the hall, and Siri noted his slightly narrowed eyes.

"I did tell him not to be late," Siri said, guessing at his thoughts.

"Hm, I'm not worried. Anakin won't risk the council's ire if it's going to mean being cooped up in the temple while I'm off world," Obi-Wan said, but six minutes later the vertical line appeared between his brows when there was still no sign of Anakin.

"He's cutting it close," Siri said as she took note of the time on her chronometer. Their scheduled meeting with the counsil was in less than two minutes, and the council rarely allowed themselves to fall behind schedule.

The council doors opened then, a Temple Guard beckoning them inside. Siri kept her eyes on Obi-Wan. He seemed to be doing an admirable job holding back a colossal sigh. He turned back around when he was about to cross the threshold into the chamber. The breeze at her back alerted Siri that Skywalker had finally arrived.

"I'm sorry master," he said to Obi-Wan, slightly breathless from his run.

"Later," Obi-Wan whispered back, then walked into the council chambers calmly.

Siri and Obi-Wan stood side by side in the centre of the mandala on the floor. A pace behind them Ferus and Anakin lined up to observe the coming meeting. They would not speak unless called upon by name.

Mace Windu's eyes were on the datapad in front of him when the four Jedi in the middle of the room bowed their greeting. Siri watched him tap away, a frown marring his face as though in deep concentration.

"Your latest intel raises some concerns, Master Kenobi," the Korun council master said. "This can't be coincidence."

"I agree," Obi-Wan said.

"We feel that time is of the essence, so we'll keep this brief," Master Windu said. "In light of the information revealed to us by the assassination of Tyro Caladian, and the attempted assassination of Senator Amidala, we approve your request to investigate the planet of Kamino."

"Guard the Senator your padawans will," Yoda said. "Requested she has to return to Naboo. Leave at once they will, and by public freighter they will travel in order to keep a low profile."

Siri felt a keen sense of discomfort at the assignment, but she needn't have voiced her concerns, because Obi-Wan beat her to it.

"I do not doubt the council's wisdom, but is there a particular reason you are splitting up the masters from their padawans?"

"Practicality, Kenobi," Master Windu said. "The protection detail is anticipated to be low risk, while Kamino is an unknown. We'd rather have two experienced Jedi, who are proven to work well together, face that unknown."

"Padawan Olin will lead the protection detail," Ki-Adi-Mundi said.

Siri noticed the subtle way in which Obi-Wan stiffened next to her. She could only imagine what was running through his head. The council was fully aware of the rocky history between their padawans. Anakin viewed the world in terms of contest, and as a result saw Ferus as some kind of threat. What was the council thinking? Was this another test to see if Skywalker was truly ready? If so, Siri did not appreciate that her padawan was a pawn in their game.

"Padawan Skywalker," Yoda said with an authoritative voice, prompting the young man to step into the space next to his master. "Known it is that not always do you see eye-to-eye with Padawan Olin. Defer to him on this mission you will. How this makes you feel, I would like to know."

"Padawan Olin is more experienced," Anakin said. "In the absence of our masters he is the logical choice to lead the mission. I will defer to him as I would to my master."

Siri noticed how he answered the question without revealing his feelings. But Yoda leaned back in his chair with a nod, seemingly satisfied with his answer. Next to her Obi-Wan's posture hadn't loosened. She couldn't blame him. It was unusual for a master and padawan to be split up like this, and with Anakin's recent history she wasn't comfortable with it either. But circumstances forced it, and they would deal with it.

She was confident that Ferus could handle it.

Anakin stepped back in line with Ferus, and Mace Windu adressed Obi-Wan and Siri once more. "Kenobi and Tachi, you will begin your investigation immediately. Two delta class starfighters, equipped with astromech droids and hyperdrive rings have been assigned to you for the duration of this mission. We expect you to report in to us in intervals no longer than three days standard."

"May the Force be with you," Yoda said.

The four Jedi bowed, then left the council chambers.

Siri took Ferus aside as soon as they were outside. From the corner of her eye she could see that Obi-Wan was speaking with a quiet intensity to his own padawan.

"Ferus," Siri said. "I don't need to tell you that you have a difficult assignment ahead of you."

"I don't think you need to worry, master," Ferus said. "Anakin's familiarity with the Senator seems to tame him."

"All right," Siri sighed. "But I want you to be vigilant. I have the utmost faith in you, Ferus, but I am not as convinced as the council seems to be that Anakin is ready for an assignment without his master. I suspect this is a test for him, and that you're a pawn along for the ride."

"Perhaps it is a test for me too, master," Ferus said, one corner of his mouth quirking up into a little smile.

"Yes," Siri grinned, then teasingly tugged at his long padawan braid. "Succeed in this and they may Knight you."

Ferus smiled in earnest then. He bowed to Siri and said, "May the Force be with you, master."

"And with you, Ferus," Siri said. She watched the padawans leave together. Obi-Wan stood waiting for her a respectful distance away, a troubled look in his eyes. She could not fault him for that, and knew that he would not allow whatever misgivings he had to cloud his judgement in their upcoming mission. He was a Jedi.

So was she.

Steeling herself Siri walked up to Obi-Wan. They left together, and as they stood in the turbolift on their way to the hangerbay, she considered her padawan again. She felt he truly was almost ready to face the trials. Perhaps another year, and then she would recommend him.

Siri pushed all thoughts of the future aside. She had a feeling that if she didn't focus on the present moment, on Kamino and whatever secrets it held, that she would live to regret it.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: The chapters keep getting longer. I don't know if it's entirely a positive thing. It's too late for this book, and for most of book III, but I think I may need to work on trimming the word count per story chapter, and simply have more chapters. I don't want to exhaust my readers with 5000+ word chapters.

* * *

RESOLVE II

* * *

7.

Senator Amidala and the Jedi stepped off the transport shuttle that had ferried them from the Temple to the bustling spaceport. Obi-Wan studied the padawans. Dressed in typical civilian middle class clothing they blended in well with the crowd. It fit Anakin like a glove, while it seemed a struggle for Ferus to loosen up from the lifetime of Jedi discipline. He almost looked uncomfortable. But Obi-Wan suspected that had more to do with the mission ahead than with his attire.

"Now remember," Siri said. "You'll likely encounter some unsavoury characters while travelling on a public freighter. Keep a low profile. It's imperative that you don't reveal yourselves to be Jedi."

"Don't worry Master Tachi," Anakin said. "I'll help Ferus blend in."

"And I'll keep Anakin out of trouble," Ferus offered.

"And while you're both looking out for each another," Obi-Wan said, his eyebrows raised to showcase his amusement. "Don't forget that you're supposed to be guarding the Senator with your lives."

Senator Amidala hid her smile behind a hand and turned her face away. Anakin snorted and turned to pick up the luggage. Siri looked on with amusement as Ferus tried to think of something to say in response, but came up short.

With the atmosphere lightened the Jedi said their farewells. Obi-Wan and Siri stood watching as the two padawans, their charge, and the astromech droid disappeared into the crowd. They climbed aboard the shuttle once more, and moments later they were in the air, on their way back to the Jedi Temple.

"I still find it troubling that there is no information on Kamino in the Archives," Siri said once the repulsorcraft was in motion.

"It's not unreasonable to suspect Dooku of having deleted the information before he left the Order," Obi-Wan crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat. "We'll do as Master Yoda said, and go to the centre of gravity's pull. Once there our long-range sensors will detect lifeforms, and that will lead us to the planet."

"Have you ever been out that far?" Siri asked. Going past the Rishi Maze meant they would leave the galaxy entirely.

"No," Obi-Wan said. "This will be the farthest I've ever gone from the core. But who knows, we might travel farther still some day."

"Are we intrepid adventurers now?" Siri asked, her tone subdued.

Obi-Wan picked up on her feelings and considered how to respond. She was worried, that much was clear. He was too. Their padawans were off on their own, and that brought a heaviness to Obi-Wan when he thought about it. A bad feeling that he couldn't explain. And then there was the Kamino mystery they were about to set out to solve.

"What worries you most?" Obi-Wan asked.

Siri turned her head to face him fully. They were seated next to each other, so close the hems of their cloaks almost overlapped. "I worry what will happen if we do end up discovering an army on Kamino."

"It would be better to discover it now, rather than be surprised by it simply showing up on our doorstep one day," Obi-Wan said softly.

"Either way would mean war," Siri said, taking a deep breath. "You don't build an army unless you intend to use it."

"True," Obi-Wan conceded.

"We are peacekeepers and we are few, Obi-Wan," Siri almost whispered. "We cannot fight a war."

Obi-Wan wanted to tell Siri to keep her thoughts in the present, but how could he do that when he struggled with similar visions flashing through his own mind.

The shuttle docked in the Temple hangerbay, and both Jedi immediately disembarked. They headed for the opposite side of the enormous room where two Delta class starfighters stood waiting for them, side-by-side. The requisitions droid recognised and approached them, and after signing the red starfighter over to Obi-Wan, and the blue one over to Siri, it moved off to fulfil another duty.

"The Force is with us," Obi-Wan said simply. Siri's eyes came up to meet his then, and he saw her worry harden into resolve. With a quick nod of her head she stepped up onto the wing of her ship, past the R4 unit socketed inside the astromech port, and into the cockpit.

Obi-Wan turned and climbed into his own cockpit. He did the standard systems check and opened a comm-channel with Siri. "Everything looks good on my end," he said.

"Ready to launch," Siri confirmed. "I'll follow your lead."

Obi-Wan fired up the ion engines and glided smoothly from the hangarbay. Behind him Siri followed closely. Since their mission involved a level of secrecy and Jedi discretion they did not need to check in with Coruscant Space Control. Unusual,but not unheard of.

They soared through the sky, picking up speed and bursting free from the pull of the planet's gravity. Their hyperdrive rings were docked to an orbital defence platform.

"Arfour, send the release codes," Obi-Wan instructed his astromech. Arfour beeped his acknowledgement and a moment later two hyperdrive rings floated down and away from the platform. Both Jedi wasted no time in docking their starfighters to the rings.

"See you on the other side, Obi-Wan," Siri's voice came over comms.

"Siri," Obi-Wan said. "Coming from me this probably won't mean much, but—"

"I swear, Obi-Wan, if you're about to get sentimental I'll—"

"I wouldn't dare," Obi-Wan interrupted, humour lacing every syllable. "I was merely going to tell you not to brood too much during the long jump."

"I leave the brooding to you," Siri scoffed.

"Yes, I am much better at it than you," Obi-Wan said. The almost silent snort of laughter coming through comms was worth the self-depreciation.

"Let's get moving," Siri said. "May the Force be with us."

A moment later Siri's starfighter disappeared as she entered hyperspace. Obi-Wan followed suit, the stars distorting as light and dark bled together in smears of indistinguishable shapes. The Force itself shifted, feeling strange to Obi-Wan's senses, yet somehow clearer.

And so the cold and lonely hyperspace journey began.

Obi-Wan took out his datapad and opened the file containing all his research notes. He'd documented everything he'd discovered since he first confirmed that Dooku was a Sith lord, and the file had grown considerably in recent weeks. He shook his head and instead accessed a historical account of the Sacking of Coruscant. The research he'd done on Sifo-Dyas, Dooku, and everything pertaining to them was not going to offer additional insights until he saw what was happening at Kamino. No, instead he could study how the Sith had attacked in the past. If Dooku and his unknown Sith accomplice were planning an attack, it would not happen in a way anyone would expect without having key pieces of information.

Perhaps history would yield some insight that the present moment could not.

Yet the puzzle box was burning a hole in his pocket.

Obi-Wan breathed out his frustration that the little nuisance of an object would not leave the forefront of his thoughts. He set his datapad aside and took the little cube out of his belt pouch. It was almost as if the little plastoid thing was whispering to him _I have a secret_.

With subtle use of the Force, that Obi-Wan normally didn't indulge in, he floated the toy above his hand and began moving its pieces without touching it. Jumbling, rearranging, reordering, reshuffling, altering, reorganising, shifting. . . it was becoming rather tedious thinking of all the different words he could use to describe the pointless exercise.

 _Breaking._

Obi-Wan jerked his fingers apart, and above his hand the little puzzle box's pieces came apart and floated passively, like a debris field around a satellite. Gently the pieces turned, as though hanging by invisible string. They twirled their silent protest at the harsh treatment just received.

Breathing deeply Obi-Wan wondered why he'd yielded to the impulse to tear the puzzle box apart. He should have had better control of himself than that. Needless destruction.

 _Perhaps not,_ Obi-Wan thought as he noticed a distinct change in material on one of the floating pieces. He allowed all but that single piece to fall into his lap. Pulling it out of the air he discovered that something small was recessed into the plastoid. A custom-made groove. Obi-Wan slid the small item out and let it rest in the palm of his hand.

It was a datachip.

"By the stars, Tyro," Obi-Wan whispered. "Please tell me you hid whatever you discovered on here."

Obi-Wan picked up his datapad and slotted the datachip into the reader slot. The file opened, and the jolt of anticipation immediately died upon seeing that it was encrypted.

He was no decryption specialist.

Yet the journey through hyperspace would be long, and Obi-Wan had nothing to lose. He set to work.

* * *

The freighter stank of sweat and the unwashed.

Ferus was no stranger to public space travel. In the ten years he'd been under Siri Tachi's guidance they'd taken many trips aboard similar vessels. Private cabins were a luxury afforded to the wealthy and famed, and a Jedi craved neither worldly possessions nor adulation.

Anakin and the Senator were sitting by themselves atop their luggage, next to the R2 unit that seemed to be part of the conversation based on the way they often turned to address the little astromech. Ferus stood off to the side, pretending to read a holobook while surveying the occupants of the expansive cabin.

A pair of Rodians briefly gave him pause, but their flighty behaviour was apparently due to their stock of death sticks Ferus had noticed when they accidentally knocked over the small container they carried with them. He found it curious that the box had made it past customs, then let the thought go. His duty was to protect the Senator, not to unmask drug smugglers and expose himself as a Jedi.

Ferus scratched at his neck. The high collar of the civilian shirt chafed. He did not understand why anyone would choose to wear something so uncomfortable. And the shoes. . . the shoes compressed his toes into a point. Why in star's name did people wear such things? At least his well-worn, sturdy nerf-hide boots were packed in the small travelling case that had been assigned to him by the Temple quartermaster. As soon as they reached Naboo he would take off the blasted synth-leather shoes and never so much as look at them again.

He checked his chronometer. They would arrive at Naboo in just under an hour. The day had been far too long for his liking. He wished to do his meditation exercises and run through lightsaber drills. A frown settled on his face when he realised how agitated his thoughts had become, and how much he craved the release provided by physical exertion. Closing his eyes he dropped into a basic meditation in order to find his calm centre once more.

It was his first assignment without his master, and while it should have been a sign of the trust she and the council had in him, it bothered him. His master was on her way past the known edge of the galaxy, and he was on a protection detail alongside a padawan who struggled to adhere to Jedi teachings. To him it still seemed foolish to allow Anakin anywhere near an assignment without Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Yet here they were.

Ferus discarded the thought. He could not question the council's wisdom. There surely was a good reason for their decision, and he had neither their knowledge nor their experience. All he could do was trust that they had made the best decision, and do his duty to the best of his ability.

A loud ping came over the ship's intercom, followed by the amplified voice of a service droid. "We will arrive in the Naboo system in exactly twenty-nine minutes and fifty-one seconds," It said.

Ferus opened his eyes and pushed away from the wall. He walked over to the opposite side of the wide compartment and stopped in front of a vending machine. It dispensed carbonated drinks, caff, eight kinds of fruit juices, flavoured waters, and an assortment of teas. After inserting a credit chip he selected a muja water. The can dropped into the pick-up slot and he bent down quickly to retrieve it.

He sensed the Togorian coming before the large humanoid shoved him hard in the ribs. Ferus could easily have avoided the rough handling of his person, but showing any sort of fighting prowess would draw the wrong kind of attention to him. He stumbled into a stack of dirty plastoid trays, remnants of a meal served hours before.

"Out of my way, human," the Togorian said.

Behind the large feline humanoid Anakin sprang to his feet, his eyes showing Ferus that he was ready, perhaps eager, for a fight. Ferus stood and dusted himself off, and in the motion sent Anakin a subtle hand sign to desist.

Anakin frowned, his chest heaving as he took a deep breath and looked away. After three of the longest seconds Ferus had ever experienced, Anakin took his seat next to the Senator again.

Ferus breathed a sigh of relief and turned to face the Togorian. "My apologies, sir," Ferus said. "It will not happen again."

"Sir?" The Togorian growled. "You think I'm some high and mighty Coruscanti cur?"

Right. Togorians didn't respond to civility the same way most sentient species did. Ferus took a steadying breath, and hoped that his next gambit would not stir the large beast-man into deeper aggression.

"Would you prefer I address you as _mongrel_?" Ferus said, putting emphasis on the last word and allowing a taunting smile to grace his chiselled features.

For a moment everything stilled. The entire compartment fell into a hush, expecting violence to be unleashed unto the poor sod who decided to insult a Togorian. The tension broke when the Togorian burst out laughing.

"You're a crazy human," the large beast-man said. "But I like you. I'll let you buy me a drink to make up for your disrespect."

Ferus shrugged as though he didn't care one way or the other, then walked up to the vending machine and inserted a couple more credits. He walked away without a word and left the Togorian to select whatever drink he wanted.

With water in hand Ferus walked back to the wall he'd leaned his small luggage case against and sat down. He noticed a few curious onlookers staring at him, but it wasn't long before all lost interest in him and returned to their conversations once more.

His eyes met the Senator's, briefly. She nodded her head at him. Approval.

Ferus cared not for her approval. He'd kept his distance for a reason. Immediately upon seeing for the first time how Anakin interacted with her he knew he would steer clear of anything exceeding the bounds of his duty. Anakin cared for this woman, and considering Anakin's penchant to find fault with everything Ferus did, he did not want to give his fellow padawan a reason to mutiny and throw things into chaos.

Ferus felt like he was walking on a tightrope that could snap at any moment.

The remaining minutes of the journey were uneventful. They arrived at the Theed Spaceport on time and disembarked without haste. Ferus followed a short distance behind Anakin and the Senator. A strategic decision that Master Kenobi had suggested. Keep one Jedi close, keep one in the crowd. Anakin served as close protection, which left Ferus free to scan the crowds and avert danger before it could reach the Senator.

Danger came in many forms. Simply being recognised or admired could spell danger. Ferus had used Force-persuasion on three beings before they'd even entered hyperspace for the first time. Three men had leeringly tried to approach the Senator when they'd left Coruscant, and he'd intercepted all three and used his command of the Force to turn them away. He dared not think about the spectacle it could have created, had he let the men reach the Senator.

Here in Naboo he was less concerned, but no less vigilant. This was a peaceful world, yet a world that had proven it would not stand for lawless actions. Gangs had no presence here, and that brought relief to Ferus while he scanned the crowds as they made their way through customs and into the city centre.

They met the Queen's guard in the back of a quiet alley off the main road, and soon Ferus found himself standing before the new Queen of Naboo as the Senator discussed her own plans with all present. It sounded like she wished to hide out in the secluded countryside.

"What do your Jedi protectors think?" The Queen asked.

Ferus opened his mouth to respond, but Anakin stepped forward and drew all attention to him. Before he could speak the Senator cut in and said, "It is my understanding that Padawan Olin has been put in charge of this assignment."

Swallowing his impatience was an overt struggle for Anakin. Ferus waited until he was certain Anakin would remain silent and in control of himself, then turned his gaze away from his fellow padawan, stepped forward, bowed, and addressed the Queen.

"As a non-native I will take advantage of your knowledge and defer to your combined wisdom," Ferus said, indicating the Senator, the Queen, and the Chief of Security. "But since we cannot say how long this situation will last, may I suggest choosing a location where the Senator will be comfortable for a prolonged period. Without sacrificing security for luxury, of course."

"The Palisades in the countryside will be more than adequate on both fronts," the Senator said.

"It is remote, but easily defensible if it comes down to it. There are also various escape routes, including through the lake to Otoh Gunga," the Security Chief chimed in.

"We'll also provide a Royal Cruiser as a means of quick travel if it is needed," the Queen said.

"Thank you, your highness," Ferus said, then stepped back.

An hour later they arrived at the Palisades. Ferus didn't show any outward reaction to the incredible views, but inwardly he thought it was some of the most beautiful country he had ever seen. The green stretched for miles, and the water was clear as crystal. The natural shrubs that grew around the elegant architecture added to its beauty in a way that made the cold stonework seem almost alive.

Ferus looked forward to meditating in a scene of such serenity.

* * *

The drop out of hyperspace brought much needed relief to Siri. She'd spent the majority of the journey in deep meditation. She preferred locomotion to sitting still in all things, and being cooped up in the confines of a starfighter in hyperspace for such long periods of time worked her nerves raw.

Before her loomed a blue planet. She checked her sensors, and with no sign of Obi-Wan yet she decided to wait before approaching the planet.

"Let's start scanning for settlements, Peetoo," Siri addressed the blue R4-P2 unit slotted in the wing of her Delta. It replied with a series of astromech vernacular and then promptly set to its assigned task. Siri keyed in a few commands on the console and the ship dropped away from its hyperdrive ring.

A moment later a blip on her shipboard radar alerted her to the arrival of her counterpart.

"Any troubles?" Obi-Wan's voice chimed over the comlink between ships.

"None yet," Siri said. "I've only just started scanning for settlements."

"We'll soon find them," Obi-Wan said, every syllable laced with stoic confidence. "I can sense countless lifeforms down there."

Siri did not doubt the truth of Obi-Wan's statement for even a moment. She also felt the vibrancy of the pale blue planet before them. It may have been a hydrosphere, a world of vast oceans, but that almost guaranteed that any settlement they found would be highly advanced.

A string of coordinates popped onto the screen of Siri's hud. "Obi-Wan," she said as she transmitted the information over to his ship. "Looks like my R4 unit found a high population city settlement. I'm sending you the coordinates now."

"Received," Obi-Wan said. "Looks like it's in the middle of a torrential storm system."

"How would you like to proceed?" Siri asked. Their starfighters could certainly deal with the adverse weather conditions, but that didn't mean it was free of risk entirely.

"We didn't come here to be thwarted by a little rain," Obi-Wan said, diminishing the storm system in typical understatement. Siri could not stop the grin that spread from ear to ear.

The two starfighters entered the planet's atmosphere side-by-side. When they entered into the cloud cover they were immediately battered by strong winds. Perhaps the greatest risk was the lightning that arced through the clouds, but they somehow managed to dip below the storm system without drawing its devastating power onto themselves.

Flying just above the surface of the roiling ocean they spied the settlement in the distance. Great spires supported enormous discs, stacked in tiers like the high rises on Coruscant. Yet despite that small similarity the sight was completely alien. Siri had never before seen anything like it. Gooseflesh that had nothing to do with the weather spread across her arms. The fine hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.

A feeling told her that danger lurked within the elegant structures. But it was an indistinct feeling, and as younglings they had often been warned of such anxieties.

 _Fear can drive you to believe falsehoods._

Siri accepted her fear, then steeled herself and released it into the Force. Suddenly the warmth she sensed from Obi-Wan was so much brighter. She locked onto his Force presence. He would be her anchor on this unknown world.

They spotted a landing platform and guided their starships to land upon its surface when a calm voice penetrated through their communication systems.

"Unidentified military craft, please state your business."

Siri held her tongue and waited for Obi-Wan to take the reigns. He had always been an eloquent speaker and a great negotiator. He enjoyed play on words and a battle of wits. While Siri could certainly hold her own in a verbal struggle, she preferred battle with a lightsaber or with fists.

"We are Jedi from the Republic and we come in peace to seek an audience with your leader," Obi-Wan said, his voice strong, but not demanding.

There was a moment's pause, then the Kaminoan said, "Please proceed to the landing platform. An emissary will be sent to escort you."

They landed side-by-side. Anticipating the strong winds and rainfall Siri put the hood of her cloak up before opening the cockpit. The cold hit her like a blasterbolt and she sucked in a steadying breath. She fought against the wind as she climbed down from her starfighter. Obi-Wan clambered out of his own ship and they walked to the lit doorway together.

Inside a very tall and slim being stood waiting for them. She was all elegant, long shapes. The white irises of her eyes sat in a sea of iridescent black. Siri noted how unusual and striking the combination was, and it stood out even more against the pearl white of her skin. The Kaminoan had an almost ethereal quality. Her movement was flowing, elegant, and when she spoke it was calm and without haste.

"Welcome to Kamino. I am Taun We," she introduced herself.

Obi-Wan stepped forward and bowed to the tall being. "I am Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi," he introduced himself, then held his open palm out to Siri and said, "And this is my fellow Jedi, Siri Tachi."

Siri bowed as well and said, "Thank you for receiving us so kindly."

"But of course," Taun We said. "We've been expecting you for some time."

Siri did not allow her surprise to manifest physically, but she met Obi-Wan's eyes and in their blue-green depths noted the same astonishment she felt.

"Well," Obi-Wan put on his best diplomatic face. "We're finally here. Shall we?"

"Right this way, masters Jedi," Taun We said. She turned and began leading them deeper into the settlement.

Siri remained on edge as they travelled down the sterile white corridors. Technically Obi-Wan outranked her, so she stayed a little behind him as they kept walking. Normally she would not be quite so deferential towards him. They'd always operated as equals, but she recognised that one wrong utterance could spell a world of trouble for them. And Obi-Wan had practically lived and breathed the Sifo-Dyas and Dooku mystery for nearly three years. She could admit that he was better qualified to take charge here.

"I'm sure you are eager to see the army we have built for you."

Siri's breath caught in her throat. Ahead of her she noticed how Obi-Wan's neck muscles stiffened. He turned his head towards her. Their eyes did not meet, but still she knew he was alarmed. It was clear as day in the Force, and mirrored her own alarm perfectly.

"Yes, quite so," Obi-Wan said, managing to keep the apprehension out of his voice.

"We were beginning to think that the Jedi had changed their minds, but since Master Sifo-Dyas paid for the order in full we waited patiently for his return," Taun We said as they turned down a corridor with transparent walls.

It was a walkway spanning over the width of a large refectory. Down below Siri saw countless men, all wearing the exact same thing, all with the exact same face. Their information had been accurate. The Kaminoans were cloners, and from what Siri could see they were exceptional. But the sight disturbed her more than it impressed her.

 _These men were bought,_ Siri realised. _They are property and that equates to slavery._

"Of course we altered the clones to be more docile and obedient," Taun We said. Siri realised she had missed part of the conversation. She mutely berated herself for losing her focus and turned her attention back to Obi-Wan and the Kaminoan woman.

"And you said they have been paid for. . . in full?" Obi-Wan asked.

Taun We stopped walking and regarded the Jedi quietly. All of a sudden she seemed hesitant. "You were not aware?" she asked.

"Well, you see," Obi-Wan began. He kept his voice and mannerisms calm and confident. "Master Sifo-Dyas went missing before he could transmit the transaction records to the Jedi Council. Until recently we had no knowledge of what caused his disappearance, or whether he even made it to Kamino."

"I see," Taun We replied. "However, I find myself curious as to why the Jedi Council waited so long to re-establish contact with us. You are the first envoys we have received in ten years."

"In light of Master Sifo-Dyas' disappearance, and the lack of confirmation that he did indeed arrive safely on Kamino, the Jedi Council decided to put the matter on hold until we had more information," Obi-Wan said. "Our forces are spread thin as it is, and they did not want to risk sending another Jedi until we could be certain it was safe to travel this far out."

"A reasonable course of action," Taun We said. "Then I assume you would like to do a thorough inspection of the product before you report back to your council?"

"And if it's possible I also need a copy of the transaction records," Obi-Wan said.

"Of course, master Jedi," Taun We said. "Right this way."

Taun We led them across the bridge to an adjacent hallway where they stepped into a turbolift. Siri's thoughts were scattered. Obi-Wan was doing an admirable job fishing more information out of the Kaminoan woman, but each new piece of intel added another shard of foreboding to her heart.

Siri considered the clones again, and a thought entered her mind as they stepped off the turbolift. "Who was the donor for the clones?" She asked.

"A bounty hunter named Jango Fett," Taun We said.

Obi-Wan's head snapped up in what Siri assumed was terrible realisation. By the Force's grace Taun We did not play witness to Obi-Wan's shock, and Siri found herself wondering where he recognised the name from. She felt his distress in the Force, and she wondered what could be so terrible that it would unsettle him so.

Siri felt him project an image to her through the Force, and when she opened herself to it she almost failed in stifling her surprise.

Jango Fett was one of only two survivors of Galidraan; A battle where Jedi and Mandalorians had slaughtered one another. The Jedi had been victorious, and the Mandalorians almost completely wiped out.

Fett would have had no reason to aid an apparent Jedi quest to create a grand army.

It was all beginning to unravel, and yet they were still far too ignorant of the truth.

Siri and Obi-Wan kept pace with Taun We as she led them deeper still into the settlement.

"I should very much like to meet this Jango Fett," Obi-Wan said.

* * *

A/N: Eight more chapters left. It will soon veer completely away from AotC.


	8. Chapter 8

Thanks everyone for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy this next instalment. Special thanks to Ancalagon, danthev, and SpencerBrown for the kind words they left me. And a special thanks to everyone who has reviewed in the past, and followed/favourited this story.

Normally I reply to reviews in private messaging, but since that's a feature that not everyone enables, and since some reviews come from guests, I will drop my comments here from now on (at the end of the chapter from ch9 onwards). If you wish me to reply in private message, mention it and I will do so!

* * *

RESOLVE II

* * *

8.

The man before him was caramel skinned, dark haired, and scarred. He spoke with a distinctly Mandalorian accent, and was built like an athlete who spent his days training his body into a machine of efficiency. His eyes were difficult to read, and no doubt the hard edge to them came from a life time of strife.

Obi-Wan had seen such eyes before, in the faces of survivors and combatants of great conflicts.

But there was something else to Jango Fett's eyes that Obi-Wan found curious. The man spoke honest words, but his eyes told of something hidden he did not wish to be revealed.

A boy of ten walked by him and Siri, not even trying to hide his interest, his eyes dancing up and down their forms. Obi-Wan could see the similarity. This unaltered clone of Jango Fett would grow at a normal rate. For all intent and purpose the boy was Fett's son. Yet they carried the exact same DNA. Moral grey area, to be sure. The entire operation was. . . unnatural.

Pleasantries were exchanged as Taun We did the introductions, then the tall Kaminoan woman left them to their conversation.

"How did you and Master Sifo-Dyas meet?" Obi-Wan asked. He felt unusually focused in the brightness of the Kaminoan domocile.

"I don't know who that is," Fett said. If it hadn't been for Obi-Wan's Force-perception he might have called the man a liar then. But Fett was being truthful, he could feel it.

"He was the one responsible for setting up this project. Strange, perhaps he delegated. Who approached you?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I was approached by a man named Tyranus."

It was only by the grace of over three decades of Jedi training that Obi-Wan did not react. He kept his eyes on Fett, but he could feel Siri's shock and distress in the Force. She'd been with him when they had found Sifo-Dyas' downed ship on the moon of Oba Diah, and she'd been there when Silman revealed that Count Dooku and Lord Tyranus were one and the same.

It was starting to look like Obi-Wan's suspicions were true.

He needed to speak to the council immediately, but an abrupt departure wouldn't do. Besides, there was something else he needed to know.

"Have you ever been to the core?" Obi-Wan asked. He kept his tone conversational.

"Often enough," Fett said.

"You must see a great deal of the galaxy in your line of work," Obi-Wan turned a circle and studied the sparse living area. A couple datapads lay next to a holoterminal. It appeared that Fett owned nothing of luxury or frivolity. "Have you ever been as far as Coruscant?"

"Once or twice," Fett said as he fastened a button on his sleeve.

"Recently?"

Obi-Wan realised his misstep too late. He was so certain that Fett was the bounty hunter he and Anakin had briefly encountered the night of the Senator's attempted assassination, that he'd allowed his desire for confirmation to tread over his better sense.

Fett stilled, as though considering the question. Then simply said, "No."

Obi-Wan sensed Fett's deception immediately. He had his proof, but at the cost of Fett becoming suspicious of them. Siri remained silent throughout it all, but Obi-Wan could practically feel her blue eyes boring holes into the back of his head.

Taun We re-entered the room before Obi-Wan could attempt to allay Fett's newfound suspicions. "The records are ready for you, Master Jedi," she said.

"Wonderful," Obi-Wan said. He turned to Fett and gave him a short bow. "Thank you for indulging my curiosities. I'm glad to have met the man who made this grand endeavour possible."

Obi-Wan did not wait for Fett's farewell greeting. Something told him it would consist of little more than a nod of acknowledgement anyway. He turned and swept out the room after Taun We and Siri, but he spread his senses out behind him, and felt Fett's acute discomfort. Fett was afraid, and it was the kind of fear Obi-Wan had sensed in animals before great natural forces bore down upon their homes.

His instincts told him that Fett would flee.

Taun We transmitted the records to Obi-Wan's datapad once they reached the administrative quarter of the settlement.

"Thank you so much for your assistance, Taun We," Obi-Wan said. "I must report to the Jedi Council now."

"Of course," Taun We said. "Do you need assistance getting back to the landing platform?"

"We remember the way," Siri said, a friendly smile on her face, but Obi-Wan could feel the urgency rolling off her in waves.

The two Jedi bowed to Taun We, then turned and quickly made their way down the sterile corridors.

"You pushed it too far, Obi-Wan," Siri said once they were out of earshot.

"I know," he said, accepting his blunder and his companion's tongue-lashing. "When we get to the starfighters I want you to get a lock on Fett's ship while I report to the council."

"We may need to move quickly," Siri said. "He was very skittish by the end, and if he's going to flee he's not going to waste time. What do those records say?"

They picked up their pace, almost running. Obi-Wan took out his datapad and scanned the transaction records. He frowned, expressing his annoyance and confusion. "The credits came from the Banking Clan through an anonymous benefactor," he said. "Maybe this is what Tyro tried to warn me about."

"What do you mean?"

"He mentioned a clandestine financial group before. . ." Obi-Wan trailed off. Finishing the sentence was a moot point. Siri knew what had happened.

"Yes, I remember," Siri said softly.

They reached the doorway to the landing platform and rushed out into the strong winds and rain once more. Siri headed straight for her starfighter, jumped in the cockpit and began scanning the structures around them to locate other active ship signatures.

Obi-Wan came to a stop in front of his starfighter and R4's optical sensors.

"Arfour," Obi-Wan said. "Establish contact with the Jedi Council."

The droid worked quickly and efficiently. Within moments he heard Mace Windu's answering voice.

"What have you discovered, Obi-Wan?"

"An army was commissioned, masters," Obi-Wan said. "The Kaminoans are under the impression that Master Sifo-Dyas placed the order on behalf of the Republic and the Jedi Council. The template they used is a bounty hunter by the name of Jango Fett. I'm convinced he's behind the assassination attempts on Senator Amidala."

Obi-Wan pulled his cloak tight around himself. It was more to prevent the wind from whipping it around his body than to protect him from the cold.

"That does seem like a logical conclusion," Ki-Adi-Mundi's voice came crackling over the comm.

"I'm afraid there's more, masters," Obi-Wan said. "Fett was approached by Tyranus, who we now know to be Dooku. Fett is also one of two Mandalorian survivors of the Battle of Galidraan. And if you recall, before he left the Order it was Master Dooku who spearheaded the attack on the Mandalorians.

"I suspect Dooku may have killed Sifo-Dyas and then posed as him to build this army. What's most troubling is that both these men have displayed their discontent with the Jedi Order, and we know Dooku joined up with the Sith lord we're still searching for. If the Sith are behind the creation of this army, why have they not seized its power yet?"

"Much of this is still speculation, Obi-Wan," Mace Windu said. "We haven't heard any news of Dooku since your encounter on Serenno."

"Blind we are," Yoda said "Shrouded by the dark side everything is."

"We lack facts, masters," Obi-Wan spoke loudly, struggling to make himself heard over the winds. "But tactically we must prepare for these hypothetical scenarios. What if Dooku formed the CIS merely to instigate a galactic war with the Republic?"

"You might be over-reaching, Obi-Wan," Mace said.

"I don't think it's an unreasonable assumption, master," Obi-Wan argued. "I saw this clone army with my own eyes. Armies exist to do battle. It is entirely possible that the Sith could be plotting galactic war. To what end is still a mystery, but you cannot deny the plausibility. The Sith are cunning and wield deception as efficiently as they wield the dark side of the Force. They caught the Old Republic and the Jedi Order completely off guard during the Sacking of Coruscant. We cannot let something of that nature occur again. We must prepare for the worst, masters.

"Peace isn't the only thing at stake here," Obi-Wan paused. He had a bad feeling and the council needed to understand the gravity of what Obi-Wan felt deep in his core. "The Sith vowed to have their vengeance one day, and if we do nothing with the information we have the entire Order could be at risk."

There was silence on the other side of the comm. For a moment Obi-Wan thought R4 had lost the connection, but then Mace Windu's voice rose above the winds once more.

"The council will discuss what you have revealed to us," he said. "In the meantime, apprehend Jango Fett and bring him before us."

* * *

The first few days on Naboo were peaceful. Ferus spent the time alternating between perimeter sweeps and training. Evenings he spent in deep meditation. It was on such a late night meditation session on their fourth evening that Ferus sensed a disturbance in the Force.

Sensing no immediate danger he took his time emerging from his trance. When he finally opened his eyes the moon was at its brightest. It reflected off the lake in a glittering pattern of white and deepest blue. Ferus stood and took a calming breath as he turned towards the tightly wound turmoil he sensed further down the large balcony.

Anakin emerged from his room, and leaned heavily on the stonework of the railing. His shoulders heaved, as though he'd run a marathon, and even at this distance he could clearly see the shine of sweat on the other padawan's face.

Ferus swallowed his apprehension and took a small step in Anakin's direction, followed by another. Then another. Calmly he made his way over to the troubled young man. Something had clearly deeply disturbed him.

He came to a stop approximately three metres from Anakin, and leaned his hip against the railing of the balcony. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, pulling his cloak tight around himself to ward off the late night chill.

"Are you all right?" Ferus asked in a quiet, gentle tone.

Anakin's head snapped up as though he hadn't noticed Ferus' presence at all. That in itself was disturbing. If Anakin had been so upset that he'd dropped his guard, then it spelled trouble if they were to encounter assassins during their protection of the Senator.

"I'm fine," Anakin said once he recovered from his surprise. A sullen look, accented with irritation crossed his face.

Ferus ignored Anakin's bad temper and said, "I sensed a disturbance in the Force, Anakin. Whether dream or vision, I'm here to listen if you need to speak of it."

"I don't need your help, Ferus," Anakin ground out.

"We all need help sometimes," Ferus said quietly.

"Now you sound just like Obi-Wan," Anakin scoffed.

"I should be fortunate to one day be as wise a man as he is," Ferus said. And he meant it. He had nothing but the greatest respect for Obi-Wan Kenobi.

"Just mind your own business," Anakin pushed off the balcony railing with a near violent energy and began stalking back towards his room.

"I know you've never been fond of me, Anakin," Ferus said to the younger padawan's retreating form. "But I do consider you my Jedi brother."

Anakin paused in the doorway, and for a moment Ferus thought that perhaps he'd gotten through to him. But then Anakin moved into the room and shut the door with such force that Ferus feared the glass might crack.

With a small sigh Ferus turned his attention back to the lake and the night sky. It was beautiful, peaceful. With a last look to the stars he wondered if his master had arrived on Kamino yet. Then he turned back to his own room, intent on getting a few hours rest before the sun brought a new dawn.

Mid morning the next day Ferus returned from a perimeter check and overheard the Senator and Anakin conversing. It was not in his nature to eavesdrop, but something told him to keep his peace and listen. He followed his instincts and paused before he turned the corner. Leaning a shoulder against the elegant brick-work, next to the sap green leaves of a drooping willow, he listened.

"This isn't the first time you've had these dreams, is it?" The Senator asked.

"No," Anakin said.

"When did they start?"

"A couple weeks ago," Anakin said. To Ferus' ears he sounded both worried and annoyed.

"Did you mention this to Obi-Wan?"

"I did, but he didn't think it was important," Anakin sounded frustrated. "He just told me the future is always in motion, like Master Yoda says. Then he told me about how Qui-Gon once chased after a vision, and despite his efforts to prevent it, it came true. He said the Force shows us visions to make us aware of our limitations, so we can accept them."

"And what do you think?" The Senator asked, her voice calm, supportive.

"I think he's wrong," Anakin said without hesitation.

Ferus took a deep breath and stayed perfectly still. He wasn't sure what he was hearing, but Anakin was clearly upset.

"Why would I keep having these visions if I wasn't meant to do something?" Anakin said, his tone taking a small step towards hysteria.

"I'm no Jedi," the Senator said. "But maybe Obi-Wan has a point. You shouldn't torment yourself with what the Force is showing you."

"But how can I just accept it?" Anakin questioned. "It's my mother, Padme. If she truly is suffering. . . I have to help her."

"Then go to Tatooine and find her," the Senator said. "Whether dream or vision, it obviously troubles you greatly. Go find her and put your mind and heart at ease."

Ferus thought he understood what was going on. Anakin had been having dreams where his mother was in some sort of peril, and it toppled whatever balance he'd managed to regain since Obi-Wan rescued him from the Sith. This was a problem, and not something that Ferus felt he was equipped to deal with. He wished Master Kenobi was here to help his padawan.

 _But he's not_ , Ferus thought.

After steeling himself with a deep breath Ferus rounded the corner with a purposeful stride. Both the Senator and Anakin turned sharply towards him, their expressions mirroring their surprise at his sudden intrusion.

"We have a mandate, Anakin," Ferus said, his expression calm, but compassionate. "You cannot leave."

"Were you spying on us?" Anakin asked, his eyebrows drawn together in an angry frown.

"That was not my intention," Ferus said, refusing to break eye contact. "While I sympathise with your situation, Anakin, you are a Jedi. And Jedi do not abandon their duty to pursue personal matters."

Anakin turned his back to Ferus, but not quickly enough for Ferus not to notice the warring emotions on his face. Anakin was struggling, that much was abundantly clear.

"I am truly sorry, Anakin," Ferus said quietly.

He met the Senator's eyes. They were fire, filled with determination and defiance, and perhaps he should have expected her wilfulness. Perhaps then he wouldn't have been so surprised when she said, "Well. I am going to Tatooine. You both are welcome to tag along if you wish to do your duty."

Ferus was stunned. For a full five seconds he could only stare at the woman, his mouth slightly agape as he processed her words. Anakin seemed to be in a similar state of shock, but he recovered quickly, a hopeful tilt in his eyebrows betrayed the relief he must have felt.

"Senator," Ferus said. "I must advise against it. Tatooine is a Hutt controlled planet."

"I am well aware of that fact, Padawan Olin," she said.

Ferus knew of her history, of course, and of the history she shared with Anakin. She'd been with Qui-Gon Jinn when the master had discovered him on that desert planet.

"Senator," Ferus began, despite understanding the futility of his attempt. "I must insist you reconsider."

"I will not," came her immediate, obstinate reply. "I will take off in exactly one hour. Be on board if you two wish to fulfill your mandate."

Ferus knew he had little choice in the matter.

* * *

Obi-Wan stared at R4's optical sensor after the transmission was cut. The dismissal had been quick. He hoped the council had taken his words seriously. Yes, much of it was speculation still. But it was well-informed speculation.

He turned and made his way over to Siri's starfighter. She sat in the cockpit, tapping commands and conversing with her own droid.

"Anything?" Obi-Wan yelled over the wind and rain.

"A ship just started its ignition sequence two levels above us. There," Siri looked up at a platform about eighty meters to their left. They could just make out the silhouette of a ship through the veil of rain.

"The council wants us to bring Fett in for questioning," Obi-Wan said. "We must move quickly."

They sprinted to the maintenance walkway on the side of the building and up the narrow staircase. From there it was a straight shot to the circular platform upon which Fett's ship sat. They arrived just as Fett was heading to the ship's ramp. He noticed them immediately, and did not hesitate. He pulled his two blasters and fired at them.

Obi-Wan had his lightsaber out and ignited before the first bolt of plasma reached them. He deflected it with casual ease and jumped fifteen meters towards Fett, who dodged out of the way with well-honed reflexes.

Siri rounded the platform in a flanking manoeuvre, but Fett noticed her subtle approach and fired off a few rounds in her direction. She deflected them easily.

The momentary split in Fett's focus allowed Obi-Wan to close the gap between them. He sliced the first blaster's barrel from its grip in a clean stroke. Fett turned on him and fired the second blaster at point blank range. Obi-Wan deflected the plasma bolts, but was forced to take a few steps back as he carefully arced his lightsaber to protect himself.

Siri headed for the ship.

 _Good_ , Obi-Wan thought. _If she can disable the ship it will give us more time to safely apprehend Fett. All I have to do is keep him busy._

Obi-Wan surged forward in a reckless move, deflecting blaster fire, then sidestepped to slice the barrel off the weapon. Fett dropped the useless blaster and caught Obi-Wan's arm by the wrist, using his other arm to strike at his elbow. It was a move meant to break the joint, but Obi-Wan twisted in just the right way to prevent the injury.

Fett was thrown off balance, but held fast to Obi-Wan's wrist and adjusted his momentum to throw himself bodily into the Jedi. Obi-Wan's back hit a supporting strut and he had the wind knocked out of him. The impact knocked his lightsaber from his hand, and it went skidding across the platform.

They engaged in hand to hand combat. Certainly not Obi-Wan's preferred method of fighting. It quickly became clear to Obi-Wan that the Mandalorian had the upper hand when it came to fisticuffs. He took a hit across his left cheek from a particularly nasty right hook when Siri re-emerged from the ship, deflecting blaster fire.

Obi-Wan put two and two together as he caught Fett in an arm lock. The boy must have been in the ship. That somewhat complicated matters.

Fett engaged the thrusters of his jetpack, the sudden acceleration jerking him out of Obi-Wan's hold. The Jedi was sent flying.

Slicing winds and stabbing droplets continued to pelt them. The platform's surface was slick with rain, and as Obi-Wan came down from his unplanned journey through the air his feet slid out from under him and he hit the slick durasteel hard. Winded once more he slowly got to his feet, and noticed that Siri had ducked around the ship's side to avoid the blaster fire from within. She was just about to stab her lightsaber through an engine nozzle when Fett turned his attention to her.

She noticed him a split second too late as he charged at her, but Obi-Wan was quick enough to jerk the Mandalorian back towards him with a powerful Force grip. He crushed the jetpack for good measure, and watched as Fett quickly scrambled to his feet. He tried to catch Obi-Wan with a solid kick to the chest, but Obi-Wan parried it aside and their struggle began anew.

Obi-Wan realised that Fett was growing desperate when he used his helmet to try and bust his nose in. He dodged to the side, taking a glancing blow from the metal. A sharp sting told Obi-Wan that he'd probably have a few cuts to nurse after the battle.

With Force-enhanced strength Obi-Wan pried Fett off himself and tripped the man. He fell to the ground, and Obi-Wan was on top of him in an instant. But the Mandalorian would not go down so easily. As Obi-Wan struggled to restrain the bounty hunter, Fett was attempting the same with him.

Wire cable shot out of a wrist-launcher, nearly impaling Obi-Wan through the shoulder. Had he not had Jedi reflexes he might very well have been strung along the line that went sailing out over the edge of the platform. Ignoring the thought Obi-Wan redoubled his efforts, but he was beginning to tire.

"Siri!" He yelled out, recognizing that he needed her help immediately if they were going to end things quickly.

"I'm a little busy!" She yelled back. From the corner of his eye he noticed that she was still dealing with the kid. He'd stepped out of the ship with a blaster in hand and was firing at her without pause. Obi-Wan knew Siri could have ended that little confrontation quickly. But only if she were willing to hurt the kid. Neither of them were willing to do that.

"Jedi scum!" Fett yelled as he shoved against Obi-Wan with renewed vigor. Obi-Wan was sent sprawling. He found his feet quickly and turned his attention to his lightsaber, calling it to his hand. Fett charged him in the same moment and hit him with a bruising tackle that sent them both skidding across the platform, ever closer to the edge and the steep drop that lay beyond it. The lightsaber fell to the floor and rolled away once more.

"We don't wish to harm you or your son, Fett," Obi-Wan grunted as he continued to wrestle with the strong Mandalorian.

"I don't care about anything you have to say, Jedi!"

Both men found their feet once more. Obi-Wan continued to block and parry Fett's blows while blaster fire and Siri's lightsaber flashed bright colours around them.

"Tell your son to stop firing," Obi-Wan said as he parried another blow. "She could have killed him already if she wanted to."

"If he stops then I'll have two Jedi to contend with, and he knows that," Fett said. "I think I'll let him keep practising his aim!"

Obi-Wan knew he would not win the Mandalorian over with words. His disdain for the Jedi ran too deep. He could feel the man's anger. It was less tainted than what he experienced from the Sith, but no less damning. Fett would not see reason in this matter.

The struggle continued until Fett caught Obi-Wan in a grapple around his midsection. They struggled to overpower each other, both breathing hard. The wet surface of the platform was an obstacle they both fought against with every step, with every shift of momentum. Then, Obi-Wan saw it happen before it did, but he was still powerless to stop it.

The bounty hunter abruptly changed direction and Obi-Wan lost his carefully controlled footing. The armoured man slammed Obi-Wan's head into the support strut, and the strength drained from him in instant. He was a dead weight, ears ringing, as the platform came up to meet him.

He slowly blinked his eyes, aware that something more than the rain was now obscuring his vision. Through bleary eyes he watched the dancing lights.

Red and blue.

What was he doing again?

Obi-Wan rolled onto his stomach and watched the blurred shapes ahead merge into a single shape. The bright light disappeared and he struggled to see what they were doing. His ears still rang as he pushed himself to his knees, taking harsh breaths.

"Obi-Wan!"

That was his name. The familiarity of the voice penetrated the fog, and his vision cleared. The boy was nowhere in sight, but he saw Fett standing near the edge of the platform, next to the ship. He was straining against something gripping his arm.

Where was Siri?

Obi-Wan leaped to his feet, stumbled and fell. Tried again and managed to remain upright. He took a step towards Fett and the Mandalorian noticed his approach almost immediately.

What was he struggling against?

Obi-Wan's unsteady feet carried him close enough to see the line attached to Fett's gauntlet. He realised what must have happened the moment Fett released the line. Obi-Wan leaped forward, hand outstretched, ignoring Fett completely. The bounty hunter ran for his ship's ramp as Obi-Wan called the line into his own hand through use of the Force.

He caught it and held on tight as the weight on the other end began to pull him towards the edge of the platform. His feet caught on the lip and Obi-Wan used it to anchor himself.

Breathing hard again he glanced to the ship once more. The ramp was closing.

"Obi-Wan!"

Fett was getting away.

"I've got you Siri!" Obi-Wan yelled. He could reach into his belt, retrieve a homing beacon, and secure it onto Fett's ship before he took off.

But he would have to let go of Siri.

No, he couldn't do that. She would fall to her death.

With a frustrated yell he started pulling her up, meter by meter.

The ion engines of Fett's ship fired up, and a moment later it left the platform, disappearing into the rain and clouds of Kamino.

Obi-Wan kept pulling, feeling nausea settling in his gut more powerfully with each exertion. He breathed hard, sweat joining his rain-soaked skin. Warmth dripped down his face and into his right eye. He was very, very tired.

At last Siri's hands reached over the lip of the platform, and the weight on Obi-Wan's arms ceased entirely when she leaped back to the safety of the platform. He let himself fall over onto his back, closing his eyes and fighting the nausea still.

"Obi-Wan?" Siri's voice called out to him. "Come on Obi-Wan, open your eyes."

He obeyed and looked up into Siri's concerned gaze. The falling rain framed her face and dripped down her hair.

"Fett got away," Obi-Wan said.

"I know," Siri said, her expression turning grim. Obi-Wan noted how her eyes darted around his face.

"I think I'm concussed," Obi-Wan said.

A corner of Siri's mouth twitched upwards. "I don't doubt it," she said.

The sigh that escaped Obi-Wan as Siri helped him sit up was filled with frustration. He retrieved his lightsaber and stowed it at his side. Together he and Siri slowly made their way back to the starfighters. His arm was slung around her shoulders, his own feet still a little unsteady.

As they carefully navigated the narrow walkway Obi-Wan wondered how it was that he could best Dooku in a duel, but allow a Force-deprived bounty hunter to slip through his fingers.

* * *

A/N: We're almost at the turning point. Almost. Next chapter will be posted on the 24th.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I'm not a medical professional and I've never had a concussion, so if anything seems unfeasible. . . well. . . Obi-Wan has the Force!

* * *

RESOLVE II

* * *

9.

When the two Jedi reached their starfighters Siri guided Obi-Wan to sit down on the wing of his Delta. Concern shown in her azure eyes. He was a mess. Blood ran down the right side of his face, dripping down his beard onto his tunics where they faded to soft splotches as the already drenched fabrics soaked up the red.

"It probably looks worse than it is," Obi-Wan said. "Head wounds. . . you know."

"Head wounds are not to be taken lightly," Siri countered as she inspected the cut between his brow and hairline, near his right temple. "Were you disoriented after the blow?"

Obi-Wan wanted to say _no_ , but he wasn't a liar. Besides, it would be woefully irresponsible to hide injuries in the field. He wouldn't simply be putting himself in danger, but Siri as well.

He just didn't want anyone to fuss over him.

"I was," Obi-Wan admitted. "I dropped like a stone and I may have been briefly unconscious. For a moment I wasn't entirely sure what was going on, and when I tried to stand it was a bit of a struggle to find my centre of gravity."

"All right," Siri said, her voice soft but steady. "We need to get out of this rain so I can treat this wound."

Obi-Wan watched as Siri climbed onto the wing of her own Delta, and rummaged in the cockpit. She emerged with a medkit and then helped him stand once more. She guided him into the doorway leading off the landing platform, and helped him sit down on the floor just inside the bright hallway. She crouched down next to him.

"If the Kaminoans find us here," Obi-Wan said, his mouth already upturning into a smirk. "You got angry at me and hit me with the hilt of your lightsaber."

Siri tried not to grin, but in the end lost the battle. "It's plausible enough," she said, relieved that his sense of humour was still in tact.

She took sterilized wipes out of the medkit and gently began wiping the blood away from Obi-Wan's face, then cleaned the cut as best she could. The bleeding had slowed, but it was an ugly injury, and would certainly scar without the aid of a Force healer.

"You're not going to like this part," Siri said as she prepared the field sutures. It was a sticky, sterilizing substance that burned like fire beetle sting going onto the wound, but it stitched flesh in a flash and held firm once it dried.

"Fun," Obi-Wan deadpanned.

Siri pushed the wound together with a thumb and forefinger, then administered the suture salve. Obi-Wan squeezed his eyes shut and frowned as the sting registered, but he kept his head still as Siri checked her work. She held the wound closed while the sutures dried. When she was satisfied that it would hold she let go and combed gentle fingers through Obi-Wan's rain-soaked hair. He opened his eyes and looked at her.

"Are _you_ all right?" Obi-Wan asked.

"A few bruises perhaps, nothing worth fussing over," Siri said, and Obi-Wan believed her.

"Good," he said. "We need to see if we can still track Fett."

"There's no point, Obi-Wan," Siri said as she slumped down next to him, leaning slightly against his shoulder. "He'll be long gone."

Obi-Wan sighed. She was right, of course, but he couldn't just sit there and do nothing.

"Then we must return to Coruscant," Obi-Wan said.

"You're concussed," she reminded him. "I'm not sure a long hyperspace journey is a good idea right now. You need a healing trance and I need to monitor you, and I can't do that when we're in hyperspace in different ships."

"But we can't stay here," Obi-Wan said. When Siri said nothing he assumed she agreed with him.

They leaned against each other in a comfortable silence, content to rest for a few minutes before they ventured out to their starfighters. Obi-Wan found himself drifting, his eyes closing without his conscious realisation. When his head drooped against Siri's he snapped awake. Next to him Siri was instantly alert, her hands cupping his cheeks.

"Hey, I'd prefer you not fall asleep right now," Siri said, her elegant brows pinched in concern.

"I'm tired," he admitted. "Just put me in a healing trance inside my starfighter. Arfour can pilot. I don't like flying anyway."

"Stop whining," Siri admonished, having noticed the cheeky upturn of Obi-Wan's lips.

Obi-Wan was about to respond with an appropriately sarcastic remark when Siri's comlink chimed. She took it out of her belt and checked the text message on the small display.

"We've received a communication recording," Siri said. "My droid is decoding it now."

"To the starfighters," Obi-Wan announced and began pushing himself to a standing position, using the wall for support.

Siri gathered up the medkit and took hold of Obi-Wan's arm. They walked back into the downpour and with minimal help from Siri, Obi-Wan made it into the cockpit of his starfighter. He closed the canopy immediately once seated and sighed in relief. Rain ran down the transparisteel in waterfalls. Through the haze he saw Siri enter her own starfighter, and a moment later her voice chimed over coms.

"It's from Ferus," Siri said. She sounded concerned to Obi-Wan's ears.

"Well, loop me in and let's hear it," Obi-Wan said.

The sound of static transmitted over the frequency, then it cleared up and Ferus' voice came through strong.

 _Master I'm sorry to trouble you during your mission, but I need guidance. I don't have all the information, but it appears as though Anakin has been having nightmares or Force-visions about his mother. It has deeply unsettled him. In response to his distress over not being able to aid her, Senator Amidala has decided to travel to Tatooine. It is obviously a ploy so that Anakin can seek out his mother, but our mandate dictates we protect the Senator. I cannot take away her free will, and if she chooses to go—which she does—we must follow._

 _I fear this detour could have disastrous results. Please, I need your guidance._

Obi-Wan dropped his face into his hands. He had told Anakin they would discuss his nightmares, but then the Senator came to Coruscant and Tyro was assassinated. During the chaos he had completely forgotten about his Padawan's turmoil, because he'd seemed just fine. Padme had been a bandaid for Anakin's distress, Obi-Wan realised. And now she was enabling him to disobey his mandate without technically disobeying it.

 _This is my fault,_ Obi-Wan thought.

"Disturbing news," Siri's stern voice breached his thoughts.

"We must head for Tatooine immediately," Obi-Wan said as he began the ignition sequence of his starfighter. "Send Ferus a coded text response that we're coming."

"Obi-Wan I still don't think it wise for you to travel quite yet."

"Unfortunately wisdom has no bearing here," Obi-Wan said. "If something has happened to Anakin's mother I need to be there to anchor him. Ferus will not be able to handle the fallout himself."

"On that point we agree," Siri said.

The ion engines of Obi-Wan's starfighter screamed to life. A moment later Siri's starfighter echoed the sound and both shot away from the platform. They pushed the small craft to their limits and broke out of Kamino's gravitational pull in record time. Side by side they docked with their respective hyperdrive rings, and after their astromechs programmed in the navigation data they wasted no time in aligning their ships with the path ahead.

"Promise me, Obi-Wan," Siri's voice abruptly chimed over the comm.

"Promise what?" He asked, half startled by the vehemence of her tone, half impatient to enter hyperspace.

"Take care of that concussion," she said. "If you're non-responsive when we reach Tatooine. . ." She trailed off.

"What is it?" Obi-Wan asked, his voice soft, hoping that she wasn't about to say something they would both regret.

"Nevermind," Siri sighed. "Just take care. May the Force be with you."

"I'll be all right, Siri. You have my word," Obi-Wan said. He had a pounding headache, but he'd properly assess himself after jumping to hyperspace. There was no need to worry his mission partner now. Besides, they were Jedi, and they both needed to master and balance themselves for what lay ahead.

"We'll speak more when we reach Tatooine," Obi-Wan said. "May the Force be with you."

Siri's only response was to make the jump to the ethereal realm of hyperspace. Obi-Wan quickly followed suit, the stars and empty space distorting into the warping shapes that fascinated him so.

Obi-Wan began a healing meditation, and was careful to stay lucid throughout the Force's gentle thrumming through his being as he directed its flow to his injuries. He would keep his promise to Siri. Not only for her sake, but for Anakin's as well.

* * *

Tatooine struck Ferus as the most desolate planet he'd ever visited. The heat was unbearable, and he could scarcely believe that life thrived on it. But the bustling Mos Espa proved that not only could life thrive there, it could trample you beneath its robustness and exuberance. They'd been in the city for ten minutes and already Ferus had seen more species in that one place than anywhere else he'd ever been. Except for Coruscant, perhaps.

An eopie trader tried to get their attention when they entered the commerce district on foot. Dusty, rust-covered speeders swooped past them in the streets, caring little for organised traffic. Pedestrians pushed and shoved as they travelled the busy streets, and Ferus was convinced someone would try to pickpocket him at any moment. He stayed close to the Senator and Anakin, somehow doubting that Obi-Wan's advice—of keeping one Jedi close and one in the crowd—would apply in the current situation.

Stars, he did not like this detour.

"It's up ahead," Anakin said.

Ferus was quite tall, and he used that to his advantage as he looked where Anakin was gesturing. Over the heads of the street-goers he saw what appeared to be a shop of some kind. He didn't read Huttese and there were no Aurebesh signage on the walls of this particular establishment. Outside he saw the hunched figure of a Toydarian sitting on a chair, tinkering with a droid of some kind. There was junk everywhere. A junk dealer then, maybe.

Anakin came to a stop in front of the Toydarian and said something in Huttese. Ferus turned his back to the conversation and kept an eye on the crowds. He wouldn't understand a thing they said anyway.

Then they switched to basic, and Ferus' ears perked up, even as he continued to scan the sentients going about their business.

"Ani? Little Ani?" The toydarian's rough voice said. "It _is_ you!"

In the distance Ferus saw a Trandoshan punch a Twi'lek in the face. A human and another Twi'lek joined in and it quickly became a street brawl.

"Where's my mother?" Anakin asked.

"I-uh, I sold her. Some years back," the Toydarian said. "The shop wasn't doing so great, and it was just business, you understand?"

Ferus took a deep, silent breath. So this was the being who once owned Anakin. He turned his head to get another glimpse of the Toydarian. It seemed strange to him that such a small, unkempt creature could ever have owned someone like Anakin.

The realities of slavery never hit him until that moment. He glanced around him and wondered how many of the beings working in the shops and streets in Mos Espa were slaves. A pang of sympathy shot through Ferus. This is where Anakin grew up before Qui-Gon Jinn freed him.

"Who did you sell her to?" Anakin asked. Ferus was impressed by how calm he sounded. Perhaps he shouldn't have been. After all, this was once normal for Anakin. Human trafficking had been something that was _normal_ for him to see and experience. The thought dropped a stone into Ferus' stomach, and he found himself suddenly feeling disgusted with the planet.

"Lars I think his name was," the Toydarian said. "Moisture farmer. Heard he freed and married her, can you believe that?"

"Where?" Anakin asked, his voice insistent, almost aggressive.

The Toydarian seemed to pick up on the young Jedi's mood, because for a moment he was silent. Then he said, "Let's go check my records, ok?"

Anakin and the Senator followed the Toydarian inside. Ferus hesitated, then decided to remain underneath the awning of the shop to keep an eye on the crowds. The street brawl appeared to have ended with an unconscious Trandoshan, a Twi'lek nursing a nasty bite to one of his lekku, and a human sporting a bloody nose. The other Twi'lek stood over the Trandoshan, kicking him repeatedly in the ribs. Ferus shook his head and looked away.

This was a savage place.

When Anakin and the Senator emerged from the shop Ferus followed them back towards the outskirts where they had left the Nubian cruiser. Sweat poured down his back and he was relieved to be inside the cool interior of the starship again.

The journey to the moisture farm would have been long by land, but with the starship they reached it in minutes. Anakin set the ship down a short distance from the home. Its white dome shape reminded Ferus of a tribal clan he'd had a run in with alongside his master, years before. It may have looked primitive, but Ferus was certain it provided the best possible protection from the heat.

Anakin exited the ship first, followed closely by the Senator. Ferus walked down the ramp at a more sedate pace. He saw a young man and woman exit the dome to greet the newcomers.

"I'm Owen Lars, and this is my girlfriend Beru," Ferus heard the young man say as he walked up behind the Senator.

"I'm Anakin Skywalker."

There was silence for a moment. Ferus watched as recognition lit Owen's face.

"I guess that makes us step-brothers," Owen said. "I had a feeling I might meet you someday."

"I'm looking for my mother," Anakin said. Ferus noted how tense the younger padawan's shoulders were, and could sense his distress in the Force.

"You better come inside," Owen said.

He led them down the stairs of the dome. Beneath the ground it was cool, and the hallway opened up into a wide room that led to the inset courtyard he'd seen from outside. A table sat neatly arranged in the large room. Owen offered them seats while Beru disappeared somewhere. She came back with a large container of water and several glasses. She served them all a drink, and Ferus sipped it gratefully.

An old man in a mobile chair emerged from the opposite end of the courtyard. Ferus listened intently as he explained how Anakin's mother had been taken by Tusken raiders nearly a month ago. He kept his attention centred on Anakin as the old man urged him to let go of his mother, that she was dead.

Ferus wanted to say something to comfort Anakin, but words failed him. Somehow he doubted that reminding him he was a Jedi was going to be any comfort to him.

Anakin stood abruptly and began walking away from the table.

"Where are you going?" Owen asked.

"To find my mother," Anakin said, a grimace on his face. Ferus could tell Anakin was trying to stay calm, but the emotions warred on his face and an anger was settling in his heart. Ferus could sense it.

"You shouldn't go alone," Ferus stood. He was torn. Wisdom was screaming at him that he shouldn't allow Anakin to isolate himself and go chasing after a band of raiders who kidnapped and may have killed his mother. But he still had his mandate to protect the Senator.

Anakin stopped and turned to meet Ferus' eyes. "I don't need your permission," he said.

"This isn't about permission," Ferus said. "We have already disobeyed the council by leaving Naboo. In that regard the damage is done. Anakin, what I am saying is that you _shouldn't be alone_ right now."

"Feel free to come with me," Anakin said, spreading his arms wide in a mocking gesture. "That is, _if_ you're willing to disobey our mandate and leave the Senator without protection."

The triumphant glint in Anakin's eyes told Ferus all he needed to know. Anakin knew he'd won. Ferus could not disobey his mandate.

"Be careful, Anakin," Ferus said. He could only watch as the rigid lines of Anakin's back disappeared around the corner.

For a long time no one said anything. They listened to the sound of a speederbike starting up and racing away. The noise lasted only moments, and then all was silent again.

With sudden frustration Ferus walked away from the table, down the hallway, up the stairs, and out into the scorching heat once more. He stared off into the distance, where he could sense Anakin's anger going. In the heat haze he saw a dust trail, and watched it until it, too, disappeared.

Eyes still focussed on the distant horizon, Ferus took out his comlink and activated the relay signal that would lead Masters Siri and Obi-Wan straight to the Lars farmstead. He then dropped to his knees and rested his hands on his thighs. A few deep breaths later he'd regained control of himself, but. . .

. . . He had never before felt so utterly helpless.

* * *

Obi-Wan opened his eyes when he heard the tell-tale sound of a hyperspace reversion. Arfour had done a stellar job bringing them to Tatooine. The planet loomed large in front of them, its twin suns hid behind the planet and cast a large shadow over the tiny starfighter. Obi-Wan checked his navigation display and found the steady dot that indicated Siri's starfighter, and opened coms with her.

"I'm here," he greeted. He hadn't slept and his head still ached along with the beat of his heart, but Obi-Wan was sure his meditations had done the job. His vision was clear, his senses untainted by lingering concussion. A temple healer might have had him take it easy still, but Anakin needed him. He could feel it.

"Good," Siri said. Obi-Wan could hear the relief in her voice. It vanished quickly as she got down to business. "Ferus activated the coded homing signal of his comlink. I'll send you the coordinates. They're in the south-eastern region of the Jundland Wastes, near Anchorhead. That region in particular appears to be home to many moisture farms."

"All right, let's head there," Obi-Wan released the docking mechanism of his ship and left his hyperdrive ring to orbit Tatooine.

Side by side the two starfighters sped towards the planet. Heat and friction created an orange haze around the tiny craft as they broke into the planet's atmosphere. Obi-Wan wasn't worried about the rough entry. Both Arfour and the Force would alert him if things became dangerous.

The orange haze faded and they sped high above the vast desert towards their destination. The suns were just disappearing over the horizon, the last glows of twilight fading. Small lights in the distance drew Obi-Wan's attention. They were staggered in a pattern, indicating a settlement. He checked his navigation console one last time, then descended further to the farm below. He spotted the chromatic hull of a Nubian cruiser and wasted no time in setting down beside it. From his periphery he noticed Siri landing on his opposite side.

Both Jedi quickly left their cockpits and made for the white dome of the home. Ferus emerged, most likely having both sensed his Master's approach as well as heard the scream of the starfighters' ion engines. Senator Amidala came up the stairs behind the padawan.

"I don't sense Anakin. Where is he?" Obi-Wan asked as he and Siri reached Ferus. Behind them Obi-Wan noticed another young man emerge from the dome, but decided introductions could wait.

"He went to find his mother. She was taken by Tusken raiders almost a month ago," Padme said, a look of worry creasing her brow.

"When did he leave, which direction, and by what mode of transport?" Obi-Wan asked. Urgency thrummed through him, but he kept himself and his voice calm. He took out his comlink and tried a trace route to Anakin's device, and with minor annoyance found that his padawan had left it at the farm.

"He left nearly two hours ago on a speederbike, that way," Ferus said and pointed in the direction he'd watched Anakin's dust trail disappear. "Forgive me master, I wanted to go with him, bu—"

"You did your duty, Ferus," Siri said, glancing briefly at the Senator.

"Yes, it's not your fault, Ferus," Obi-Wan said. "Anakin remains headstrong, but under these circumstances I fear he might be a danger to everyone around him. I need to find him immediately. What can you tell me about the Tusken raiders?"

Obi-Wan directed his question at the young man standing quietly a few meters away. Having been addressed by the Jedi Master he walked forward to join the conversation.

"They're a nomadic people," he said. "They come to these flats to raid our water stores and destroy our machinery, mostly, but they'll kill or kidnap anyone they come across. They're savages. Rumours has it that they have a settlement south of here."

Obi-Wan turned towards the south, the direction Ferus had indicated. He sank down to his knees in meditation posture and closed his eyes. Opening himself to the Force he allowed it to flow through him, to show him the ebb and flow of Tatooine. It was all connected, and even if Anakin was attempting to shield himself Obi-Wan was confident that he would find him.

Around him small grains of sand began to lift and swirl, as though the world itself was responding to his call. And it was, because Obi-Wan could sense the Force in the very air around him. He could sense the presence of something enormous to the west, possibly a krayt dragon, and he could sense the clumped and vibrant pinpricks that indicated a large and bustling settlement, probably Anchorhead. He narrowed his focus to the south region and sensed only the dull presences of non-sentients for what seemed like miles. But traces of Anakin lingered. Traces of his desperation flowed to Obi-Wan, and like a bloodhound following a scent Obi-Wan continued to follow Anakin's path in his mind's eye. Desperation, anger, and determination collided with one another, fighting. There, that swell and crashing of turbulent emotions could only be Anakin. He was no longer travelling. His presence was so clear to Obi-Wan, so overwhelming that he almost crumpled forward where he a sat.

"Obi-Wan?" Siri asked, sensing how her fellow Jedi tightened the control he had over himself.

Obi-Wan stood and dusted off his knees. "I know where he is," he said. "Siri, stay here with Ferus and Senator Amidala."

"Very well," Siri said, understanding and respecting that this was Obi-Wan's duty as Anakin's master.

The Jedi Master ran to his starfighter without a backwards glance and fired up the ion engines. A whirlwind of dust blew out from under the ship as it raised off the sturdy surface of the flats. Obi-Wan shot away at a speed exponentially faster than Anakin would have been able to travel at on the speederbike. He kept his mind and heart open to Anakin as he traversed the distance, staying low to the ground.

Pain lanced through him like a blade, and he stifled a cry. It took him a moment to realise that it wasn't his own pain he had felt, but Anakin's.

"Oh no," Obi-Wan whispered, and accepted his padawan's pain before releasing it into the Force. He did the same with the intense anger that followed.

A small settlement beneath a cliff face emerged from the darkness of the night, lit only by the fires that burned in pits outside primitive domiciles. Obi-Wan cared not for subtlety and landed his starfighter beside a hut on the outskirts. He opened his cockpit and jumped out, only to immediately stagger as the throbbing in his temple was joined by the chaos around him.

The Force was screaming, howling with fear, rage, vengeance. With hatred.

Obi-Wan steadied himself and drew the hilt of his lightsaber into his hand, but did not yet ignite it.

He stood, trapped in his own disbelief as he watched Anakin's blue lightsaber snuff out the life of a Tusken child.

* * *

A/N: TheBlackShadow1210 and SpencerBrown, I have replied to your reviews in private messages. Thanks for reaching out!


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: This one was really hard to write.

* * *

RESOLVE II

* * *

10.

Time itself appeared to slow for Obi-Wan. The fires' flicker traced slow patterns as it raised into the sky and the running Tuskens seemed almost frozen in the moment—some running away from the commotion, some running towards it with gaffi sticks raised. The blue glow of Anakin's lightsaber left the body of the Tusken child.

There was no blood spatter. Lightsabers vaporised and cauterised as they cut through organics. A dangerous weapon, yet with perfect control it was possible to bring down the most dangerous beings without killing them. No one bled to death as a result of a lightsaber wound. The wielder had complete control over the fate of their adversary, and Jedi were known for their restraint—always seeking peaceful resolutions before resorting to violence, and killing only as a last resort.

Obi-Wan saw no restraint in the tilt of Anakin's blade as it sliced clean through the neck of the small Tusken.

Frozen in that moment where Obi-Wan drew in the scene, more children had their backs to Anakin, attempting to flee. Mothers had their arms held open, beckoning the children back. Men with gaffi sticks and primitive rifles charged down on the young Jedi. Despite their aggressive and desperate defence Anakin stood calm in the motion, showing neither shock nor regret for what he was doing. His brows were drawn low over his eyes, his face set into a hateful scowl.

In that moment, Obi-Wan sensed Anakin's pain transform into hatred.

Time resumed its normal pace and Obi-Wan found himself struggling to take in proper breaths. His knees felt weak. Eyes wide with his mounting horror he nearly slumped against his starfighter. A Tusken charged him from his left and Obi-Wan reacted on pure instinct, pushing his attacker away with the Force.

The whir of Anakin's blade drew Obi-Wan's attention back to the Tuskens' desperate fight. With a concerted effort Obi-Wan drew the Force around himself and pushed away his shock so he could _act_.

He ran towards the spinning blue blade and the cries of death, ignoring the frightened children and women he passed. Ahead the men took notice of him and a few split off to attack him.

Obi-Wan would not harm them. They were only defending themselves and perceived him to be allied with Anakin. That was the logical conclusion and Obi-Wan would not fault them for their aggression.

But he didn't have time to try and explain.

Obi-Wan calmed as the Force swelled and came to him with an eagerness he'd not felt since he battled Dooku. He sent a powerful wave of Force-suggestion out over the Tuskens near him and charging towards him. _Be at peace, I'm here to help._

The charging Tuskens slowed to a stop and lowered their gaffi sticks as Obi-Wan rushed passed them, his lightsaber in his hand, but not yet ignited. Ahead, Anakin swung towards another Tusken warrior. The angle of his blade would have severed the man's torso from his legs, but Obi-Wan reached them in time to block Anakin's deep blue blade with his own cerulean lightsaber.

The screech the blades made as they clashed and struggled to overpower one another set the hairs on the back of Obi-Wan's neck on end. The scent of electrical discharge mixed with that of burning flesh and smoke.

"What are you doing, Anakin!" Obi-Wan yelled.

The nineteen year old boy gave no response, still too lost in his own hatred to register the words, or even who spoke them. He drew back from the stalemate and lashed out at Obi-Wan with a series of powerful strikes.

Obi-Wan parried them and kept his defence tight while simultaneously sending waves of Force-suggestion outward, urging the Tuskens to flee. Most turned tail and moved towards the outskirts of the settlement, joining the women and children already heading for the craggy canyons to the west. But many strong-willed warriors stayed rooted and ready to attack. Obi-Wan sensed their confusion, but also their wariness and understanding. They'd seen what Anakin's lightsaber could do to their people. And while the two Jedi battled, Obi-Wan knew the Tuskens would not interfere.

The moans of the grievously injured rose into the night and sent a jolt of distress through Obi-Wan.

His padawan had done this.

"Anakin!" He yelled again, trying to rouse the boy from the vengeful trance he'd slipped into. Obi-Wan continued to block and parry his apprentice's deadly attacks, knowing that the longer he allowed this to continue, the worse it would get. But he could not harm Anakin. He simply couldn't.

With a desperate move after parrying a downward strike Obi-Wan stepped in close, underneath Anakin's guard. He took his right hand off his lightsaber and slapped Anakin across the face. Hard. Hoping the unexpected blow would knock him back to his senses. The force of the blow knocked the boy off his feet, and as he fell backwards the tip of his blade seared across Obi-Wan's left arm, carving a burnt line midway between elbow and shoulder.

Numbed by the pain Obi-Wan's left hand lost its grip on his lightsaber. He dropped to his knee and held his right hand out to call the hilt to him, but before he could ignite it once more he found the tip of Anakin's lightsaber beneath his chin.

Obi-Wan dared not even breathe.

He looked up into Anakin's hate-filled eyes, and wondered if he was truly about to die by his apprentice's hand. A deep sadness overcame him in that moment. He'd been unable to protect Anakin from the Sith. Their hatred had taken hold.

His vision blurred as he felt the tears gather in his eyes, but Obi-Wan did not allow them to fall. He blinked them away and kept his gaze steady on Anakin's eyes. "Solah," he managed to say. His voice was barely above a whisper, and went almost unheard among the cacophony of moans, flames, and Tusken cries.

But that one word of surrender appeared to penetrate the obscuring fog of Anakin's hatred.

The boy blinked, the hatred in his eyes disappeared and was replaced by confusion and fear. His mouth fell open in shock, his jaw quivered as he tried to remember how to speak. Noticing his lightsaber poised at his master's throat he retracted the blade and dropped the hilt, as though it had burned him.

"What. . . I. . ." he said, chest heaving.

Obi-Wan pushed himself to his feet and ignored the searing pain in his left arm. He held his right hand out to Anakin in a calming gesture.

"Anakin," he said gently.

"What have I done?" Anakin said as he spun around and surveyed the carnage around him. "What have I done?"

"Anakin," Obi-Wan tried again, his tone soothing. He gently gripped Anakin's shoulder.

"What have I done?" Anakin repeated as he met Obi-Wan's eyes. His eyes lit up in sudden remembrance and he turned and ran towards one of the huts. Obi-Wan followed.

"Anakin!" He called after him, but the boy did not slow.

The boy peered into the hut, then recoiled and started pacing, holding his head in his hands. Obi-Wan reached the hut and looked within, still unsure how in stars' name he was supposed to handle what he'd just witnessed. A woman lay on the ground, and Obi-Wan sensed no life in her.

"They killed her," Anakin said. "They killed my mother."

Obi-Wan pushed away his own feelings and attempted to study Anakin with a calm heart.

"They killed her," Anakin said again. Obi-Wan noted that the anger was returning to Anakin's eyes, and could no longer ignore it.

"And you would have slaughtered them all had I not come here," Obi-Wan said quietly, hoping that his words would be enough to shock the boy into seeing reason.

"They're animals!" Anakin yelled. Pain and grief and hatred dripped off every syllable.

"They are sentient beings, Anakin!" Obi-Wan's gentle voice rose in frustration and disbelief.

"I don't care!" Anakin yelled.

"You don't remedy one injustice with more injustice, Anakin!" Obi-Wan shook his head, his disbelief and impatience rising. His horror returning.

"All they do is hurt people! They deserved to die!" Anakin kicked a stone into a nearby fire and glared at Obi-Wan with a torn and angry expression.

"And the younglings?" Obi-Wan yelled, voice breaking on the final word. Lines carved deeply into his brow as he tried to fight back his own despair. The boy he had trained had fallen so far and the Jedi Master had no idea what to do. How could he justify this? Obi-Wan's tight reign on his emotions snapped. His breathing became ragged as he ran a hand through his hair and looked anywhere but at Anakin.

Perhaps it was seeing his stoic and enduring master so crushed that finally broke through to the young man.

"I. . ." Anakin said, trying to find the right words, but failing.

"You will be expelled from the Jedi Order," Obi-Wan managed to say through the lump in his throat. "I cannot save you from this. You've given in. . . to hatred, Anakin. You've killed with a vengeful heart."

Obi-Wan was beginning to feel light-headed. He was breathing too fast. With concentration he slowed his breathing and rebalanced himself, releasing his distress into the Force. He would break down again later, he was sure, but right now he needed to stand firm.

"I understand the heartache of losing a parent, Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "And I understand the anger. But I cannot condone what you've just done."

"How could you understand?" Anakin said, tone accusatory. "You grew up in the Temple. You never knew your parents. You've been a Jedi your whole life. You don't see how the Order tries to control you! It's natural to have emotions. To love!"

For a moment Obi-Wan held his tongue. He took a deep breath. "I loved Qui-Gon as a son loves his father," he met Anakin's eyes. "But there is a difference between love and attachment, padawan. Have I not taught you this?" Obi-Wan's voice tapered into a whisper, his despair fighting to resurface. He glanced at the maimed bodies around them. At the Tuskens still hesitating nearby, their gaffi sticks held firm in front of them. "You've slaughtered innocents because you couldn't let go."

"What would you have had me do?" Anakin cried, rubbing angry tears from his cheeks and sniffing loudly.

"Nothing," Obi-Wan said.

"What?"

"It is far harder to let go of our vengeance than it is to act on it," Obi-Wan took another deep breath. "It is far harder to show compassion to an enemy, than to a friend. I have tried to teach you this, but clearly I have failed."

Lines danced across Anakin's brow as he absorbed Obi-Wan's words. His eyes darted between Obi-Wan and the corpses littering the settlement. "What do I. . . do now?" He said, the fight draining from him, but his chest still heaved with thick emotion.

"You return to Coruscant with me, and face the consequences of your actions," Obi-Wan worked hard to keep his voice steady, but a slight tremble persisted.

"To the Jedi?"

"Yes."

"I can't," Anakin almost wheezed, as though the thought itself caused him physical pain. "They wouldn't understand. They just want to control me. They've been trying to control me since Naboo. Just like the Sith tried."

Obi-Wan closed his eyes as a sense of hopelessness tried to overwhelm him. The Jedi were trying to guide him down the path of balance. The difference was that Anakin _had_ _given in_ to the dark side. He'd felt it from the boy as he cut through the Tuskens. Anakin had been engulfed by a choking void of pure hatred, passion, and vengeance. _But_ , a voice in the back of Obi-Wan's head reminded him, _he was able to stop himself before he killed you._

Perhaps that was his only saving grace.

Obi-Wan swallowed past the lump in his throat. "You have a choice to make here, Anakin," he said.

"What?" Anakin's pacing stopped. He stared at Obi-Wan with wide eyes and parted lips.

"It is your choice," Obi-Wan restated. "The Republic, and by extension the Jedi, have no jurisdiction on Tatooine. My mind wails at me to drag you home, kicking and screaming if I must, but my heart knows that it is not my choice to make.

"I have tried to guide you towards a place of balance, towards the side of life. Your actions here today are reprehensible, and a reflection of my own failure, but you are not irredeemable, Anakin. So I leave your next step in your own hands.

"What will you do, padawan mine?"

Obi-Wan watched as Anakin's face slowly broke into an expression of complete loss and anguish. The boy sank to his knees, and Obi-Wan took quick strides towards him. He knelt down on one knee next to the boy, and placed his right hand gently on the back of the boy's neck, rubbing soothing circles with his thumb.

"I can't go back," Anakin said, voice broken. "I have to bury my mother."

Obi-Wan cleared his throat, then sighed. "Siri will not give you this same choice."

"She's here too?" Anakin's voice was overcome with tears, his shoulders quaking.

"Yes," Obi-Wan said. "She's with Ferus and Senator Amidala."

"I. . . I don't know what to do."

Anakin's voice was so broken that Obi-Wan struggled to keep the frayed edges of his own composure together.

"Listen to the Force, Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "Feel it. Trust your instincts. What does it tell you?"

"I don't know," Anakin said. "It doesn't guide me the way it guides you, master."

Obi-Wan's heart broke at how lost Anakin sounded. He knew what the Force wanted _him_ to do. He could feel it in his very bones, but he could not tell Anakin this. The boy needed to make this decision for himself.

"Emotion, yet peace," Obi-Wan said calmly. Anakin raised his head to meet Obi-Wan's eyes. Confusion shone on the young man's expression. "Ignorance, yet knowledge. Passion, yet serenity. Chaos, yet harmony. Death, yet the Force."

"That's not. . ." Anakin said. Through the tears still clinging to his cheeks his expression clearly displayed that he did not understand why Obi-Wan suddenly decided to recite a mantra to him.

"It is the old code, young one," Obi-Wan said.

"What do you mean?"

"Long ago, the Jedi thought the version of the code currently taught to our younglings would make it easier for them to cultivate self-discipline, tolerance, compassion, and harmony within themselves," Obi-Wan took a deep breath. "It's a very old philosophical discussion. When I began your training I followed the modern precepts, but I should have taken a more unorthodox approach for such an unorthodox student. That was my failing. You feel so deeply, Anakin, and I fear you've been trying to repress your feelings instead of accepting them and releasing them into the Force.

"Your greatest challenge has always been to find peace within emotion."

"But how?" Anakin almost wailed. "My mother is dead and I. . . I killed. . . She. . . She would be so ashamed of me."

The boy broke down and all Obi-Wan could do was pull him close with his uninjured arm and brace against the quaking shoulders. He shoved his own emotion away, determined to be a pillar of strength for the boy.

"Would your mother forgive you?" Obi-Wan asked gently.

Anakin held his breath, his shoulders jerking to a stillness. "I don't know," he said, releasing his breath and gasping in more air.

"She's your mother," Obi-Wan pointed out, hoping the boy would figure it out for himself.

"Maybe she would," Anakin sniffled, calming slightly. "But not if. . ."

"Not if?" Obi-Wan prompted, rubbing the back of the boy's neck.

"Not if I wasn't truly sorry."

"How do you feel about what you've done?" Obi-Wan stayed steady against the storm of emotion coming off his padawan.

Anakin was still for a long time. Then, he shrugged Obi-Wan's arm from his shoulders and stood, moving away from the Jedi Master who stayed kneeling on the ground. Anakin turned his back to the scene and furiously wiped his eyes.

"They deserved it," Anakin said, voice rough.

"Maybe so," Obi-Wan pushed himself to stand even as his heart fell through his boots. "But that was not for you to decide. You have great power, Anakin. And power without restraint is simply chaos and destruction. Will you see the universe fall to ruin just so you can have your way?"

"They killed my mother!" Anakin yelled, the fury returning to his eyes.

Obi-Wan was unmoved by the sentiment. "Yes," he said. "And you indiscriminately slaughtered half their people."

Anakin took a step back as if struck. "You're taking the sand people's side?"

"I'm not on anyone's _side_ , Anakin!" Obi-Wan yelled, finally allowing his frustration to show. "I am a Jedi! I preserve peace in order to preserve _life_. We cannot change entire cultures to make things easier for ourselves! To abuse our power in such a way is a path that can only end in death and darkness."

Obi-Wan kept his focus on his padawan, watching with a steady gaze as the boy scowled and took note of the Tuskens still watching from a safe distance. Anakin took a deep breath through his nose and then ignited his lightsaber again. A flash of fear travelled through the Tuskens.

"Don't you dare," Obi-Wan said as he ignited his own saber as well. He steeled himself against the possibility that he would have to fight Anakin in earnest, and waited.

Anakin breathed harshly through his nose, shoulders heaving again. He looked around, turning his head to face Obi-Wan, then the Tuskens still lingering with gaffi sticks, to the corpses littering the ground, to the stars. Finally, with a cry of pure anguish he turned around and swung his blade in an inelegant arc at the nearest hut.

Obi-Wan lowered his lightsaber, but did not extinguish its bright glow, and watched passively as Anakin unrelentingly hacked away at the dwelling's leathery walls. When he finally exhausted himself nothing but a charred skeleton remained. The cuts along the leather skins and bone supports glowed orange, and slowly faded to black.

Anakin extinguished his lightsaber, his back still to Obi-Wan.

"Will you bury my mother?" He asked, voice rough, but unusually steady.

Obi-Wan withdrew his own blade and stowed the hilt at his side before he found himself willing to answer. Anakin's outburst may not have surprised him, but he feared for the boy. He feared where such a lack of control would lead him.

"You've made your choice, then?" Obi-Wan asked, his voice a whisper of its former strength.

"Will you bury her?" Anakin asked again, more forceful this time.

"I will return her to her family," Obi-Wan said, fighting against the pain he felt at what he knew was next to come. "Please, Anakin. . . do not cling to hatred."

Anakin said nothing, but he nodded his head, back still turned away from Obi-Wan. The boy did not glance back as he walked away, into the darkness of Tatooine's bitter cold night.

Obi-Wan let him go.

The moans of dying Tuskens were the only reason Obi-Wan did not sink to the ground to meditate on the spot. He turned, eyes dry but heart aching, and walked towards the nearest injured warrior. The other Tuskens leaped to his defence, holding out their gaffi sticks in warning.

Obi-Wan stopped, and after taking a deep breath made his intentions clear through the Force. He did not speak their language, and they did not speak his, but the Force was universal. They parted with some hesitance, but allowed Obi-Wan to crouch next to the fallen warrior.

A burnt slash ran from the Tusken's shoulder to stomach. Obi-Wan sensed the being's distress as it lay there shaking. He held a calming hand above the Tusken's head and sent a wave of sleep compulsion to his mind. The warrior stilled immediately, and the rise and fall of his chest changed from its erratic tempo to a steady rhythm. Obi-Wan studied the slash, and determined that the Tusken would survive.

The Jedi moved on to the next injured lifeform. Then the next. At some point he retrieved the medical kit from his starfighter, and through the night he did what he could for the victims of Anakin's brutal assault. There weren't many who would live, but maybe those who did, and those who had escaped unscathed would remember the strange human's compassion, instead of the angry youth's violence.

Obi-Wan shivered in the cold desert night as he walked back to the hut where Shmi Skywalker's remains still lay. A grey bantha wool sheet lay on the floor near her. He stretched it out on the floor, then—ignoring the still searing pain in his arm—he carefully picked up the slight body of Shmi and placed her in the centre of the sheet. Obi-Wan worked slowly, and gently.

When he emerged from the hut with her fragile weight resting in his arms the Tuskens watched him. Their gaffi sticks rested lamely against the ground, and none of them made a sound as they followed Obi-Wan's trek with their eyes.

Arfour opened the cockpit when Obi-Wan approached. With the care of a mother holding a newborn babe Obi-Wan lowered Shmi into the cockpit, and strapped her in.

"Take her to the farm, Arfour," Obi-Wan said. "Then come back for me. I'll activate my comlink's homing signal so you can find me. I'm not staying here."

Arfour beeped its confirmation and closed the cockpit. Obi-Wan stepped back and watched as the ship took off and soared into the distance. The ion engines became two tiny pinpricks in the distance, then disappeared.

Obi-Wan walked away from the Tusken settlement without glancing back to the devastation left by his padawan's blade. He took his comlink out of his belt, noticing for the first time the fog his breath created, and the chill in his fingers. He sent a comm request to Siri's device and waited.

"Obi-Wan!" Siri's voice came through almost immediately.

"My starfighter is on its way to you," he said. "Anakin's mother is in the cockpit."

"What happened?" The urgency in Siri's voice made it clear to Obi-Wan that Siri had felt the volatile conflict.

"I'll explain when I get there," Obi-Wan said, unwilling to discuss it over a comlink frequency. "Siri, prepare the family."

"I take it she didn't make it," Siri's voice dropped to a near whisper.

"No," Obi-Wan said.

When Arfour returned for Obi-Wan the twin suns were cresting over the dunes. He collapsed into the pilot's seat, feeling like he'd aged fifty years in that one night alone, and let the droid fly him back to the Lars farmstead.

Arfour set the starfighter down next to the shining Nubian cruiser. Obi-Wan listened to the whir of the ship's systems die down to silence, but made no effort to get out of the cockpit. He leaned his head back and stared at the sky as it shifted from deepest turquoise to bright blue. He felt Siri's presence standing on the sands outside, but felt no compulsion to speak to her. Yet, he knew he could not delay forever.

Obi-Wan opened the cockpit and used his right arm to leverage himself out of his seat. With a soft groan he managed to get his feet under him and stepped out onto the wing, then down onto the sand where Siri stood waiting.

Ferus stood a respectful distance away, next to a visibly shaken Padme.

No one spoke.

Obi-Wan gazed past them all into the distance, where vaporator towers loomed in neat rows. He could feel the sand in his beard and in his hair, in his boots and between the layers of his tunics. He found it difficult to care.

He felt the sting of the lightsaber wound on his arm, the ache in his head and the bruises on his torso from his fight with Fett, and found he did not care about the pain either.

He felt Siri's stern and questioning eyes on him, and Ferus' nervous presence. He felt the sadness from the beings in the dwelling below, and the uncertainty from the Senator. He tried not to care, but found his heart wouldn't let him.

Padme was the first to break the silence.

"Where is Anakin?" She asked.

Obi-Wan opened his mouth. His tongue clung to the roof of his mouth and he suddenly realised how thirsty he was. "He's not coming back," he said once he'd gotten his tongue under control.

"What do you mean?" Padme asked, uncrossing her arms and stomping forward to stand next to Siri. "Is he all right?"

"He is deeply troubled," Obi-Wan said, beginning to feel oddly detached from his emotions. "But physically he is fine."

"What happened out there, Obi-Wan?" Siri cut in, her tone sharp like a blade. She did not mince her words when she said, "I sensed a great disturbance, a hatred that was almost palpable, and beings dying left and right. What. Happened?"

"Anakin. . ." Obi-Wan paused to take a breath he didn't know he needed. "Anakin cut them down. The Tuskens. Killed them. Would have killed them all had I not been there."

"And where is he now?" Siri asked, a dangerous edge to her voice.

"I don't know," Obi-Wan said, tone conveying his rising apathy. Perhaps he was simply exhausted. Maybe he was in shock.

"You let him go?" Siri asked, incredulous.

"Yes," Obi-Wan said, still staring at the pattern of vaporators sticking out of the sea of sand ahead.

"How could you let him go?" Siri asked, her brows carved angry lines on her forehead. "He—" Siri cut herself off, too angry to speak.

Obi-Wan stared out at the vaporators.

* * *

A/N: I rewrote some of the dialogue several times, and I'm still not sure if I've managed to balance the circumstances and character reactions well enough. You be the judge!

I'll be responding to reviews on last chapter shortly. If I am unable to PM you, know that I appreciate the time you take to give me your thoughts!


	11. Chapter 11

As always, thank you for reading!

* * *

RESOLVE II

* * *

11.

The small hours of the morning on Coruscant presented an ethereal grace if one stood still long enough to appreciate the beauty of the light pollution. A soft glow spanned the horizon, caressing the darkness of the sky above. Obi-Wan could appreciate the charm, but he still preferred the natural elegance of planets like Alderaan.

Floor to ceiling panes of transparisteel framed his view, and as he stared at the changing colours he thought that, perhaps, he ought to pay attention to the debriefing going on around him.

Inside the Spire of the High Council three Jedi stood in the centre of the floor mandalla. All twelve council masters were present, listening as Siri Tachi explained what they had discovered on Kamino.

"This is disturbing news," Master Windu said. He side-eyed Obi-Wan, unused to the man's silence. "What is your take on this, Master Kenobi?"

Obi-Wan turned his eyes from the skyline to meet the Korun master's stern gaze. He blinked, slowly, and opened his mouth to speak.

"We should put the Order on alert," he said.

"That seems premature," Ki-Adi-Mundi said in a pitched tone that indicated his distaste for the idea. "The discovery of this cloning operation is certainly a matter of great concern, but an alert could instil fear and panic."

"I see your point, master," Obi-Wan said. He was calm. Perhaps unnaturally so, and it did not escape the notice of Master Yoda, who kept a hawk's eye on the younger master. "However, Dooku was the one who commissioned the army. Considering his fall to the dark side I'd imagine his plans are anything but pure."

"But the Kaminoans are under the impression that the Jedi placed the order on behalf of the Galactic Republic, correct?" Adi Gallia's melodic voice filled the room, exuding a calm authority.

"Yes, master," Obi-Wan said.

"Then perhaps we can take control of any further dealings with the Kaminoans," Adi said, glancing at her fellow council masters as she spoke.

"The Kaminoans are capitalists," Obi-Wan said before the council could begin a discussion on the ethical and moral hurdles that would accompany such an endeavour. "They will honour the ones who pay them, and no one else. Since Jango Fett slipped through our fingers I doubt they will be forthcoming in any deal we try to strike with them, unless there is a commercial incentive for them. As it stands I'm sure Fett has alerted Dooku, who no doubt has already taken steps against us."

"Act rashly, Dooku would not," Yoda said.

"And what if he's not the one pulling all the strings?" Obi-Wan asked. "Discovering Kamino may have sped up the Sith's plans. We are still very much in the dark and need to be vigilant."

The council masters communicated in that silent way they were so accustomed to. Eyes met across the room, lekku and brows twitched, and finally master Yoda tapped his gimer stick against the floor.

"Discuss this, the council will," Yoda said. "Padawan Olin. Dismissed you are. Rest now, you should."

Ferus, after explaining how his mission ended up taking him to Tatooine, had been silent throughout the debriefing. He bowed to the council and quickly retreated through the doors.

"Now, the matter of your padawan," Yoda said, his gaze still locked on Obi-Wan's form.

"We've heard Senator Amidala and Padawan Olin's account as it pertained to the protection detail," Windu said. "Now we'd like to hear the rest of it."

Obi-Wan was an articulate human being. His wit was almost unmatched, his aptitude for diplomacy second to none. In another life he would have been able to go toe to toe with the Senate's best. And yet, he found himself unable to speak as Tatooine's events replayed itself in front of his mind's eye.

"Kenobi?" Master Windu prompted.

Siri Tachi stood still beside Obi-Wan. She had not been present at the Tusken camp, and did not fully understand why the council did not dismiss her along with her padawan. She turned slightly towards Obi-Wan, her brows drawing down over her eyes as she regarded him. She wanted to knock him upside the head and scold him for his stupidity and stubbornness, but it was not her place.

Obi-Wan briefly closed his eyes as he drew on the Force to bring clarity to his memories. Then, finally, he broke his silence.

The next minutes passed with all attention focused on the words spoken by Obi-Wan as he explained, in excruciating detail, what had transpired once he reached his padawan. He managed to stay passive and detached throughout the entire retelling of events, even as council masters failed to hide their horrified surprise.

Obi-Wan's voice drifted to silence when he reached the point of Anakin's departure. For a time the council chamber was quiet as a tomb.

"He wasn't ready," Obi-Wan was the first to speak. He stared out over the Coruscant cityscape the way he'd stared at the vaporator lines on Tatooine. It was as though he were stuck in a state of dazed disbelief.

"How could you have allowed this to happen, Kenobi?" Mace Windu asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Obi-Wan clenched his jaw, the anger he felt at the accusation broke him from his passivity. Still, he did not react. Inwardly he could feel the embers of fury build into a raging fire. He focused on his breathing to dampen the rising emotion.

"Angry, you are," Master Yoda said. There was little that escaped the ancient master's notice.

"Outraged, master," Obi-Wan said, voice calm.

"Why?" Yoda prompted.

Obi-Wan took a deep breath through his nose, the muscles in his neck straining, his shoulders lifting. It was clear to all that Obi-Wan Kenobi was barely holding his composure.

"Let me tell you a story, masters," Obi-Wan began, still staring out towards the horizon. "It's about a kind-hearted boy uniquely strong in the Force—"

"Flippancy and sarcasm will not earn you any favours, Kenobi," Mace Windu warned.

"I'm being completely serious, Master Windu," Obi-Wan said, pulling his gaze away from the skyline to meet the stern Korun master's eyes. "I was given a near impossible task, by the oath I made to my dying master, by the oath I gave this council, by the oath I made to a nine year old boy who knew nothing about what it meant to be a Jedi. He knew only the savagery of slavery and despite that his heart held nothing but kindness.

"Then we placed enormous pressure on his shoulders, calling him the _chosen one_. It isolated him. He did not know how to integrate fully into this new life, despite my best efforts. His peers stared and criticised, and for a time he took it in stride. But he feels deeply, and instead of finding a release for his emotions he bottled them up and let them fester. And I was too blind to notice the difference.

"When the Sith captured him. . ." Obi-Wan paused, shaking his head. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself. His voice had begun to rise with his anger. When he spoke again, it was with a calmer tone. "Nine weeks after they captured him my instincts screamed at me that I would find him on Serenno. What little proof I had was accurate. And yet, politics. . . Because of politics his rescue was delayed by over two years.

"I'm sure I don't need to belabour the point, masters. Anakin simply wasn't ready to be in the field without me. He may never have been ready, after suffering such prolonged manipulation under the Sith," Obi-Wan dropped his gaze to the floor. "I should have seen this coming."

"The only one at fault, you are not, Obi-Wan," Master Yoda said. "But why allow Skywalker to leave?"

"It was a feeling," Obi-Wan said. He raised his eyes and stared at the glow of the horizon again.

"A feeling?" Mace Windu shifted forward in his seat, his patience wearing thin.

"I've learned to trust my instincts, master," Obi-Wan said. "It may not be clear to me now, but I believe letting him go was the right thing to do."

"That is poor justification, considering the vengeful slaughter of those Tuskens," Mace said.

"Master, I understand," Obi-Wan held his ground. "But this is a truth I ca—"

Several dark silhouettes outside caught Obi-Wan's eye. They had all deviated from the Coruscant skylanes and were entering the private airspace of the Jedi Temple.

"Kenobi?" Mace said.

Obi-Wan frowned, squinted, and broke etiquette by ignoring the council master and stepping closer to the window. He recognised the airships a moment later.

"Those are Baktoid repulsorcraft," he said, pointing at the shadowed airships. "Multi-Utility Transports, if I'm not mistaken. What in the blazes are they doing here?"

The council turned to what Obi-Wan was pointing at. Then, as one, a wave of alarm travelled through the chamber. Obi-Wan felt the disturbance in the Force before Master Windu started shouting commands. He was halfway to the door, hand on the hilt of his lightsaber when the Master of the Order opened the comm in his chair.

"All Temple Guard on high alert," Mace spoke with calm urgency. "Unidentified transport vessels have entered our airspace. Be prepared for possible hostiles."

Obi-Wan did not wait to be dismissed. He ran out of the council chamber upon the Force's urging and headed to the nearest maintenance stairwell. The warning was clear that something untoward was heading for the Jedi, and Obi-Wan dared not chance getting stuck in a turbolift if a section of the temple lost power in a sudden assault.

Through clever use of his cable launcher and the Force Obi-Wan made it down the spire within minutes.

The usual calm of the ziggurat was deeply disturbed. Masters and padawans alike were sprinting down corridors, yelling commands as authoritatively and calmly as they could, but the message was clear—The attack was already underway.

Obi-Wan caught up with a group of Temple Guards heading for the main entrance. "What are we facing?" He asked.

"It's a battalion of droids, master," the masked guard answered. "They've surrounded the temple."

Obi-Wan considered what he'd read of history's warfare, and what he knew of Dooku and the Sith. "Where's our weakest point?"

"Kenobi!"

Obi-Wan stopped and turned, meeting Master Cin Drallig in the hallway connecting the upper refectory with the senior salles. "Master Cin," he acknowledged.

"The Guard hasn't many to spare. The lower north-western quadrant has only senior initiates and a handful of padawans to defend it."

"I'll head straight there," Obi-Wan said, sprinting away before he'd finished speaking.

Muffled explosions reached his ears as he ran, and by the time he reached the spiral walkway that would take him to the lower levels, he'd felt six tremors. The sound of repeating blaster fire echoed off the walls. The tapestries did little to absorb the sound, and the closer he got to the crèche the louder the zing of plasma became.

Obi-Wan came to a sudden halt when a transparisteel door on his left shattered into a thousand tiny pieces. The shrapnel exploded away from him, toward the inside of the room where he could sense a room full of younglings. Without even thinking about it Obi-Wan held his hands out in front of him, catching the deadly shards before they could impact against fragile flesh.

He paused for a moment, taking a breath, the transparisteel shards floating harmlessly between him and a clan of wide-eyed younglings. Ali-Alann stood poised in front of the younglings, his own hands also outstretched.

"Oh, Obi-Wan," the crèche master said. "Am I ever glad to see your bearded face."

Blaster fire ripped towards Obi-Wan. He dropped his hold on the shards, ignited his saber, and deflected the bolts in a few arcing strokes. He stepped through the broken doorway and out of the line of fire.

"Is everyone all right?" Obi-Wan asked as he turned to survey the group.

"We're fine," Ali-Alann said. "But you'll want to hurry and reinforce the initiates."

Obi-Wan nodded, surprised to see the younglings so quiet. Many of them were obviously nervous, their wide eyes staring at him with a mixture of fear and uncertainty. He met the eyes of a youngling girl who showed none of the fear of her agemates. Obi-Wan was unsurprised to see that it was little Talsi. He gave her a wink, then carefully peered into the hallway before stepping outside again. Ali-Alann was no slouch and he would guard the younglings with his life.

 _Besides,_ Obi-Wan thought, _The droids need to get past me first._

As soon as he stepped into the hall blaster fire ripped his way again. Ahead he could see several overturned tables and plastoid crates. The initiates had created barriers and obstacles to hinder the advancing droids. Obi-Wan spotted three girls and five boys of differing races crouched behind the obstructions with lightsabers drawn. None of them looked a day older than twelve.

Obi-Wan stayed half crouched as he quickly stepped towards the young Jedi. Midstride he dropped his cloak from his shoulders—it would only hinder him in a prolonged battle. The burn on his left arm protested, but he ignored it.

"What's the situation?" Obi-Wan asked as he arrived by a Nautolan girl and a Human boy.

"Master!" The boy exclaimed. "We're so glad you're here!"

"The droids blew out the wall leading to the northern garden terrace," the girl answered with a measure more poise. "The corridor is bottle-necking them. Padawan Jomok is up ahead trying to keep them at bay. He told us to hold this line."

"Good, you stay here," Obi-Wan said, giving them each a reassuring pat on the shoulder before ducking into the open with his saber drawn. He deflected two bolts then ducked behind another crate where more initiates lay in wait. His mere presence appeared to bolster the younglings' spirits.

Moving quickly, but carefully, he made his way to the very front. A young padawan, perhaps thirteen years of age, ducked between two sets of overturned durasteel tables, slicing through the legs and necks of droids as they attempted to cross the line he was so steadfastly holding. His blue lightsaber swung in quick, precise arcs, and Obi-Wan immediately recognised the elegant strokes of a Makashi master in the making. A pile of droid parts was forming on the other side of the boy's cover.

Skilled as he was, the boy was up against a small army of B1 battle droids. Obi-Wan's experience on Naboo taught him that a single Baktoid transport could carry up to 112 such droids. Tough odds, even within a choke point such as the corridor presented.

As that thought entered Obi-Wan's mind the padawan cried out in pain, lost grip on his lightsaber, and fell to the ground.

Obi-Wan called upon the Force and leaped the remaining distance to land squarely in front of the groaning boy. He deflected blaster fire that came in continuous streams now that a static target had presented itself.

"Padawan, are you all right?" Obi-Wan asked as he kept his eyes focussed on the droids ahead. They were attempting to advance in rows of three, but the debris of fallen droids had brought them to a halt. The front most droids kept firing their repeating rifles.

"I don't know," the boy groaned through grit teeth. "It hurts."

Obi-Wan pushed his concern to the back of his mind and called on the Force again. He took a single step forward and thrust his left hand forward. A shockwave of Force knocked the first three rows of droids viciously backwards. The blaster fire came to an abrupt halt as the droids were pummelled into disarray.

Quickly, Obi-Wan turned his back to the droids and scooped the padawan into his arms. He ducked around the overturned durasteel table and leaned the boy against the wall.

"Ow, ow," the boy muttered, his brows pulling tight in pain.

"It's all right," Obi-Wan said gently as he surveyed the wound. The blaster bolt had hit him in the left thigh. Obi-Wan ran a gentle hand over the injury, probing it with the Force to assess the damage. The plasma had gone clean through the soft tissue and scraped up against the bone. Obi-Wan was impressed that the boy wasn't downright yowling in pain. A wound like that had to be agony.

"How bad is it?" The boy asked through heaving breaths.

"I don't think there will be lasting damage," Obi-Wan said. A zip and a ping on the durasteel alerted them that the droids had found their footing and started their barrage again.

"Get me my lightsaber, master. I can still fight," the padawan said, the fires of determination burned bright in his pain-filled gaze. Pride welled in Obi-Wan's chest at the heart shown by the resolute boy.

"I know you can," Obi-Wan said, giving him a small smile. "You've done brilliantly, padawan, but you should rest now. Leave it to me."

The boy gave him a reluctant nod.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes briefly to center himself. Then in a single fluid motion he stepped out into the open, deflecting blaster fire as it fired down the corridor towards him. Through the broken wall at the far end he noticed a single Baktoid transport unloading battle droids onto the terrace. Bolstered by the knowledge that there could only be so many droids on a single transport, Obi-Wan began weaving his way forward. He cut through three droids at once with a curving flourish reminiscent of the tight blade work of Form II. With precision he redirected blaster fire to strike down droid upon droid. The corridor was quickly turning into a durasteel scrap pile.

Sweat beaded on Obi-Wan's brow as he battled the droids up and down the corridor. What the droids lacked in initiative they made up for in sheer numbers. In the back of his mind Obi-Wan worried about the possibility of droids moving down unguarded corridors. Like all manufactured machines the droids had no presence in the Force. For all he knew another battalion could be moving in to flank him from the opposite side.

Obi-Wan breathed a sigh of relief when he cut down the last row of droids and glanced down the intersecting corridor. Both ways appeared undamaged and clear of droids. The Baktoid transport still sat on the terrace.

Cautiously Obi-Wan moved forward, lightsaber raised in a defensive position in front of him in case more droids lay waiting in ambush. As soon as the transport's sensors identified the Jedi as a threat it turned its four anti-personel blasters on him and began firing. The bolts were larger than those discharged by the repeating blasters the B1 battle droids carried, and left striking grooves where they struck the floor and walls.

Obi-Wan ducked behind a part of the terrace wall that was still in tact. A moment later it exploded towards him, covering him dust and debris.

Without wasting more time Obi-Wan charged out of cover and took an indirect, seemingly random route towards the Baktoid transport. He used the Force to enhance his speed, which made it near impossible for the automated turrets to track him in time for an accurate shot.

Obi-Wan soon found himself within the turret's dead zone. Safe from further blaster fire he quickly dispatched the weapons with a couple clean strokes of his lightsaber. He took a moment to survey the destruction, and breathed deeply. Guard still up he moved back towards the corridor.

The once pristine, serene halls were decorated with droid corpses, scorch marks, and broken walls and windows. But in that part of the Jedi Temple the battle was over.

Obi-Wan jogged back down the corridor towards the padawan and initiates. He spotted the boy's lightsaber and stooped to pick it up.

On the other side of the overturned durasteel table the injured boy still sat leaning against the wall. He was breathing hard, eyes closed as tears ran down his cheeks. He made not a sound as he continued to breath through the pain.

Obi-Wan crouched down next to the boy, and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. The boy opened his eyes and regarded the Jedi Master with tired eyes.

"How are you holding up, padawan?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I'll live, master," the boy's mouth turned up into an uneven smile. It morphed to a grimace a moment later, and the boy ducked his head down again.

"You did well, padawan," Obi-Wan said as he held the boy's lightsaber out to him. He took it from Obi-Wan and clutched it tight in one hand.

"Thank you, master," the boy said.

"Do you think you can stand?" Obi-Wan asked. He wanted to get him out of there in case another Baktoid transport was inbound.

"I. . . I don't know, master," the boy said, for the first time looking like he was ready to admit weakness.

"Well, I'm no healer," Obi-Wan said. "But I may be able to numb the pain long enough to move you to a safer spot. Would you like me to try?"

The boy seemed hesitant at first, but then nodded his consent. Obi-Wan placed his hands gently around the blaster wound on the boy's thigh and called upon the Force to soothe the nerves. He'd done it enough times on his own injuries and hoped his limited skill in the healing arts would be effective enough to lessen the boy's pain.

A loud, unreserved sigh flew from the boy's mouth a moment later, causing Obi-Wan to grin in surprise. "That's much better," the boy muttered as the lines on his forehead smoothed. "I think I can move now."

"All right," Obi-Wan said, and took the boy under his arms to help him up. "Don't put any weight on that leg."

Obi-Wan supported most of the boy's weight as they moved down the corridor. When they reached the first line of initiates Obi-Wan told them to move ahead and lead the other initiates to Master Ali-Alann.

When Obi-Wan arrived back in the crèche with the injured padawan Master Ali-Alann immediately darted forward to take the boy's other arm. They settled him on a soft couch.

"Master your hair's all grey!" A childish voice spoke up from behind the two Jedi Masters.

Obi-Wan turned and saw a youngling boy point and stare at him with wide eyes and an impish grin.

"We don't point, Richo," Another youngling knocked down the arm pointing at Obi-Wan. They began a shoving match, and Master Ali-Alann sighed before moving to intercept the two boys.

Obi-Wan grinned at their antics. It reminded him of Garen and himself at that age.

A tremor brought the room to silence again. Obi-Wan moved to the shattered doorway and peered around the corner. He saw nothing but the destruction and the flecks of debris floating in the artificial light beams. Obi-Wan ran a hand through his hair, shaking loose the dust that had amused the youngling so.

Obi-Wan stayed by the doorway and silenced his thoughts, listening, sensing. Countless Jedi were still fighting, but the air in his immediate surroundings went undisturbed.

"Do you think it's over?" Ali-Alann asked.

"Here, for now. Elsewhere in the temple the attack persists still," Obi-Wan said. He wanted to go to where the fighting was thickest and help, but he could not leave Master Ali-Alann alone with a gaggle of younglings and an injured padawan. The children were important, and what if another assault came for them.

The crèche master gathered the younglings in a circle and led them in a song. After a while the older initiates joined in as well. The padawan sank down deeper into the couch, his face relaxing and eyes drooping.

Obi-Wan took up vigil by the broken doorway, determined that nothing would get past him, and wondered at the strange action of the Baktoid droids.

Was Dooku behind it?

No one had heard even a whisper of his whereabouts since his defeat on Serenno. Would the old fallen Jedi Master truly have resorted to such a brash assault? It made little sense.

And that, in Obi-Wan's humble opinion, made it all the more troubling.

* * *

A/N: I've responded to last chapters reviews via private messages. For those I couldn't PM:

Ancalagon: Thank you! The events leading to the end of book 2 won't leave much time to delve further into Anakin's story, but don't worry, it will all be resolved over the course of book 3. Almost done with it!

danthev: Thank you for the kind words! It is such a relief to see this chapter well-received. When I started writing book 2 I was incredibly motivated to get it done, specifically because I wanted to get to that confrontation on Tatooine.

Guest: Thank you! That has been my goal, and I'm glad it's coming across as such. Also, I can't deny that the high praise is both motivating and a little nerve wracking. . . Because what is coming in book 3 is going to push some boundaries. I trust you'll let me know if I ever stray too far.


	12. Chapter 12

Posted 15/12/2018

* * *

RESOLVE II

* * *

12.

The aftermath of the battle droid attack on the Jedi Temple was one of widespread panic and confusion. While the Jedi retained their fabled calm and began repairs on their sacred home, the Republic was in an uproar over the unprovoked and vicious assault on their peacekeepers. To make matters worse, and even more unstable in debates and political mudslinging, no one had claimed responsibility. Baktoid issued a statement denying any claim to the transports and droids used, citing that they don't police their customers. The outrage bred confusion, and the confusion gave way to irrationality.

Obi-Wan stared worriedly at yet another speculative holonet news report while he waited in the, thankfully undamaged, tech division of the Jedi Temple. In his hand he held fast to the small datacard he'd found in Tyro's puzzle box during the trip to Kamino. He'd all but forgotten about it during the events since.

A sigh escaped him. The mental exhaustion was beginning to take its toll. From battling Fett, to discovering Anakin's break, having to go so far as to fight his padawan, only to see him disappear, and then having to defend the Jedi Temple from an army of droids. All in the span of a few days.

Obi-Wan wanted to sleep.

But he was a Jedi, and Jedi were known to go extraordinarily long without sleep when the situation demanded it. And, well, Obi-Wan could concede that the situation demanded it. He centred himself within the Force, drew in its calming warmth, and went about his day.

"Master Kenobi, sorry for the delay," Jordi Milos, a senior padawan with a particular knack for anything tech-related, greeted him with a quick bow. His rough appearance told Obi-Wan that the young man hadn't gotten much rest either.

"It's all right, Jordi. I understand this must be a busy time for you, but I need something decrypted immediately," Obi-Wan held out the datacard to the flustered padawan.

"Master, forgive me, bu—"

"Whatever's on here could lead to uncovering who's behind all of this," Obi-Wan gestured vaguely around them, where dust and debris still lay as evidence of the assault on the Jedi Temple. "It's important."

"Understood, master," Jordi sighed. "I'll start on it immediately."

"Thank you," Obi-Wan gave Jordi's shoulder a brief, reassuring squeeze. "Please send me the decrypted file as soon as you've cracked it."

"Will do, master."

Obi-Wan walked away with a stride belonging to a man on a mission. In truth, he wanted to get away from the sound of cleaning and maintenance droids, the sound of broken duracrete and transparisteel being shovelled, and the cacophony of volunteer construction crews brought in to help provide relief to the Jedi.

They were seen in the most damaged hallways, standing out in their bright orange helms and vests, taking measurements and talking as though it were just another job. But it was the Jedi Temple, and the calming halls had turned into a discordant mess of strangeness. Obi-Wan needed to get away.

Too much had changed too quickly.

By some fortune the section holding the arboretum hadn't suffered any damage. Obi-Wan slowed his quick pace once he'd sequestered himself in an alcove formed by sloping rock and several trees. He leaned his back against the trunk of the largest and slid down to the ground. Taking deep breaths he closed his eyes, and waited.

Masters Yoda and Windu were observing an emergency Senate meeting. In light of the attack they had postponed Obi-Wan's debriefing regarding his padawan. A fallen, wayward apprentice was not the biggest problem the council currently faced. Not even if that padawan happened to be Anakin Skywalker.

Obi-Wan wondered where Anakin was at that very moment. Had he heard about the attack on the Temple yet? It was all over the holonet. Had the boy calmed down enough to think about what he would do next? Would he see the errors in judgement he'd displayed and return to the Jedi to face censure?

Those questions would remain unanswered, and Obi-Wan knew that he would eventually have to come to terms with everything that had happened. It didn't matter how fast the world decided to move around him, Obi-Wan knew he had to stay in pace with it.

He needed to clear his mind of his misgivings, his sadness, and of all self-destructive thoughts of failure. The Jedi were facing a crisis and he needed to stand strong as a Master of the Jedi Order.

He listened to the gentle rustle of the leaves, and slipped into a shallow meditation. Hours passed, and still Obi-Wan sat in silence.

"Help me understand, Obi-Wan," the imploring voice of Siri Tachi interrupted his meditations in the afternoon.

He opened his eyes to see her standing in front of him. She looked like many Jedi did that day. Disillusioned, concerned, fatigued, but beneath that Siri's eyes held a hint of anger as well.

"You are upset with me," Obi-Wan quietly stated the obvious. She had been giving him the coldest of shoulders since they left Tatooine. The council debriefing and subsequent droid attack hadn't left a lot of time for them to talk out their differences.

"Yes," Siri said. She did not allow her feelings to colour her tone, choosing instead to remain calm. "I cannot fathom why you would have let Anakin go after he committed murder. That as good as makes you complicit. And I know that's not the kind of man you are."

"He is a deeply troubled boy," Obi-Wan's voice dropped to a near whisper.

"Deeply troubled boys need guidance," Siri argued. "What will he do next, now that you've let him off his leash?"

"An interesting choice of words," Obi-Wan sighed. "That's just it, Siri. His whole life someone was trying to control him. First he was a slave. Then he became a Jedi, where even how he's supposed to think was dictated to him. It was difficult enough for him to work through our philosophies after his unconventional upbringing, but then to be kidnapped by the Sith, and to have them try to control him as well. Was I supposed to try and do the same?

"Perhaps he was never meant to belong to either the Jedi or the Sith."

"You're treading awfully close to heresy, Obi-Wan," Siri sat down.

"Am I. . ." Obi-Wan plucked a blade of grass from the earth beneath him. "Jedi, Sith. . . Without the Force neither would exist."

"Obi-Wan," Siri's voice held a note of warning.

"Has anyone ever considered what the phrase _'bring balance to the Force'_ even means? Maybe Anakin, if he truly is the one of prophecy, was never meant to align himself with either side."

"What are you saying?" The incredulity Siri felt emanated from her voice.

"I'm saying that with all the changes the Jedi Order has gone through, throughout its long history, that perhaps the meaning of true balance has gotten lost along the path somewhere," Obi-Wan said.

"Are you even listening to yourself right now?" Siri grabbed Obi-Wan's wrist. Her grip was like a vice, almost desperate.

"The code has seen as many changes as the Republic has seen. Our Order has made changes dictated to us by politicians. And yet we still claim to follow the will of the Force? How could we possibly be so arrogant as to believe that," Obi-Wan spoke with the calm tone of a completely rational man, but his words were inflammatory. "We serve the greater good, but we've allowed blinders to be placed over our eyes. We've become complacent."

"Is that why you let him go?" Siri asked, forcing her voice low, but it nonetheless dripped with venom. "To make some sort of statement?"

"No," Obi-Wan turned and faced her stormy eyes with his own steady ones. "I let him go for precisely the reason I told the council last night."

"A _feeling_ ," Siri scoffed.

"The Force speaks to us all in different ways," Obi-Wan said, voice still calm, but brows drawing down. "My journey is different from yours, and Anakin's will be different from any Force-sensitive's before him. It's not my place to question where the Force leads him."

"It's easy to brush off responsibility and call it the Force's bidding," Siri said.

"Is that truly what you think I am doing?" Obi-Wan asked, incredulous. "Brushing off responsibility?"

Siri sat motionless. A bitter retort was on the tip of her tongue, but she'd known Obi-Wan since childhood. She knew him almost as well as she knew herself. "No," she sighed. "No, that's not what I think. You've never ignored your responsibilities, and I was foolish for insinuating as much. I just find it all difficult to understand. If Anakin is the Force's chosen champion, why would it lead him down such a dark path?"

"Perhaps so that he can understand it," Obi-Wan said, having wondered the same thing himself. "If he's supposed to bring balance, how can he if he doesn't have the wisdom to know what to do? Yes, he may have lost his way _now_. But that is how we learn, is it not?"

"Yes," Siri whispered. She rubbed her hands together in the sudden chill. The temple's atmospheric regulators were not functioning optimally after the attack.

"He doesn't belong to the Jedi," Obi-Wan whispered. "For the first time in his life he gets to choose his own path. Letting him go was the hardest thing I've ever had to do."

Siri shook her head, a breath of sad laughter escaping her as she turned to face Obi-Wan. "Histories will be written about you someday, Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Oh I certainly hope not," Obi-Wan said, training his thoughtful gaze on Siri's form. "What makes you say that?"

Siri's soft grin died on her lips. "You don't see it, do you?" She said. "The outcome is still unknown, but you've been affecting change within the Jedi Order since the day you struck down that Sith Lord on Naboo and took Anakin Skywalker as your padawan. Whatever the Force has planned for that boy, you are a part of it.

"And history will remember that."

Siri's earnest words sounded sinister to Obi-Wan's ears.

He put it out of his mind.

* * *

 _We're reporting live from the Coruscant Senate Building, where mere moments ago deliberations over the Military Creation Act finally reached its conclusion with a vote that has made history._

 _In light of the ruthless and unprovoked attack on the Jedi Order late last night, widely believed to have been perpetrated by the Confederacy of Independent Systems, an emergency Senate meeting was called, where both parties for and against the creation of an army of the Republic engaged in a debate lasting just over eleven hours. The vote occurred late this afternoon where a swing was seen among much of the opposition, resulting in an overwhelming majority vote_ for _the creation of an Army of the Republic._

 _Oh, hold on. . . I've just received word that the Senate has concluded the matter and, yes, here they come. That's Senator Amidala. Senator Amidala! Do you have a few words to spare? What are your thoughts concerning the outcome of this historical vote?_

 _It is indeed historical. Today will be remembered as the day the Republic allowed itself to be ruled by fear._

 _But should we not defend ourselves from terrorist actions? You yourself faced a similar crisis as Naboo's leader some ten years previous. How is this different?_

 _Despite the attack on their sacred home, the Jedi have advocated against the creation of this army, because they understand that you cannot meet violence with more violence if you expect to protect what you hold most dear. Yes, sometimes we have to take up arms to defend our homes, but creating this army was premature. We have received no declaration of war. This was not an attack on Coruscant or the Republic. It was an isolated attack on the Jedi Order, perpetrated by an unknown faction. To place responsibility upon the CIS without concrete proof is insulting and inviting a conflict that will see more systems secede._

 _But would this not also lighten the strain of our hard-working peacekeepers?_

 _You are naïve if you believe that. The Jedi operate under a strict code that actively guides them to find solutions that will preserve life. What the Senate has just voted into creation will not follow the same code. Armies bring destruction, and I can only pray that this one will be commanded with wisdom rivalling that of the wisest Jedi Masters._

 _You have great respect for the Jedi, Senator?_

 _Of course I do. Ten years ago a Jedi Master sacrificed his life to protect Naboo's sovereignty—_

Mace Windu shut the holonet off with a flick of his wrist. The news broadcast disappeared, and the council chambers was left to embody a tense stillness. Yoda sat quietly in his chair, slowly twisting his gimer stick in his hands. Ki-Adi-Mundi sat with one arm draped over his stomach, the other elbow was propped upon the armrest with a finger stroking the underside of his chin as thoughts raced through his Cerean mind. Adi Gallia sat with one leg crossed over the other as she simply stared into space, hands folded neatly in her lap.

"That was only the start," Mace broke the silence. The hour was late. Coruscant's sun had set again on the Jedi Temple. Construction crews had retreated for the night, leaving an unnatural stillness behind. Quiet the temple may have been once more, but it was far from tranquil.

The council doors slid open to admit Obi-Wan Kenobi to the floor for the second time that rotation. He bowed to the four council masters present, privately wondering why there were only four of them present. He held his tongue, waiting until they addressed him.

"We did not call you here to discuss your padawan," Mace began. "Right now we have more important things to discuss, but that does not mean we won't discuss Tatooine later." The Master of the Order's dark eyes held disapproval and warning.

Obi-Wan accepted the unspoken censure with lowered eyes and a nod.

"Stare not at the floor, Obi-Wan," Master Yoda said. Immediately Obi-Wan's eyes flew up to meet the ancient Jedi's. "Tired, you are."

"My fatigue is of no consequence in the present moment, master," Obi-Wan said.

"When's the last time you slept?" Mace asked, brows raised and mouth pulled to one side.

"Before I set out for Kamino," Obi-Wan dutifully replied.

"You set out for Kamino seven days ago," Mace said, frowning.

"Yes well," a grin made it's way onto Obi-Wan's face. "I've been a little busy."

Yoda chuckled with that endearing growl of his while Mace just shook his head and rubbed a hand across his smooth face. Ki-Adi-Mundi said nothing, but Adi Galia gave Obi-Wan a fond smile. She had gone on many joint missions with Qui-Gon Jinn during Obi-Wan's apprenticeship, and had watched him grow from an uncertain boy into a confident and decisive man.

"Busy you have been, Obi-Wan," Master Yoda said. "More work for you we have, I fear."

"I welcome the work, master," Obi-Wan said, and the statement was loaded with more than just his acceptance of the task they had for him. Yoda could see that Obi-Wan wanted distraction. He did not approve of the way in which the young Jedi Master was dealing with his recent ordeals, and he felt sorrow that the situation had become such that Obi-Wan could not be given the respite he so sorely needed.

"Have you kept up with the news today?" Mace asked.

"I have," Obi-Wan said.

"Then you know that two era defining decisions were made in the Senate today," Ki-Adi-Mundi's voice contained a weary note.

"Yes, master," Obi-Wan said, preventing a sigh from escaping him. "Our situation has been used to approve the creation of a Republic army, and also to give Supreme Chancellor Palpatine emergency power until the. . . crisis. . . has been resolved."

"And what are your thoughts on the matter?" Adi Galia asked.

"It doesn't seem. . ." Obi-Wan trailed off, thinking how best to phrase the indistinct feeling that welled in his chest ever since the news was first broadcast over the holonet. "Considering what we discovered about Master Sifo-Dyas and Kamino, I cannot help but feel that there is some sort of deception at work here. Someone is pulling strings and getting their way."

"The Sith?" Mace leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Possibly," Obi-Wan folded his hands into opposite sleeves, flinching slightly at the pull of burnt skin on his left arm. "We've made strides, but we're no closer to discovering the identity of the Sith Master. He's clearly been patiently laying plans for decades. Can we even be certain that Master Sifo-Dyas' visions of the future were born from the Force?"

"What are you implying, Obi-Wan?" Adi asked, brows furrowed.

"Sifo-Dyas acted in a certain way because of what he believed the Force revealed to him. I question whether those visions were pure, or planted."

"Planted by the Sith?" Mace asked, skeptical.

"Surely Sifo-Dyas or another master would have noticed a dark influence upon him if that were true," Ki-Adi-Mundi said.

"Hmm, difficult to see the corruption of the dark side is," Yoda said. "And not unheard of such manipulation is."

"If that is indeed what happened, then the Sith are far more cunning and deceitful than we anticipated," Mace sighed.

"Speculation won't aid us now," Ki-Adi-Mundi pulled at his beard. "The present problem we need to address is the sharing of information with the Chancellor."

"Is it not all-encompassing, master?" Obi-Wan asked, taking a shuffling step to fully face the Cerean master. "Speculation and instinct may be the only way to prepare ourselves."

"Prepare ourselves for what?" Ki-Adi-Mundi asked.

For a moment Obi-Wan held his silence. He did not know if he was simply paranoid, but a darkness loomed in the Force. He felt it. The void. It was cold, uninviting, foreboding, and it emanated a sense of danger that Obi-Wan was unfamiliar with. Perhaps he was simply projecting his own fears into the Force, but he could not be certain. Everything was so clouded.

"To survive," Obi-Wan spoke into the patient silence of the council chamber. "For our Order to survive."

"You truly believe it is that dire?" Adi Galia shifted in her seat, her striking blue eyes held focused intensity.

"What we know for fact is that the Sith have resurfaced," Obi-Wan said. "What we can assume is that what they desire most is revenge against the Jedi. Their mantras are self-centred epithets. In the very first line they claim that peace is a lie. They are the antithesis of everything the Jedi believe, and we have all but destroyed them in the past in order to preserve life. Now, they have had a thousand years to plan their vengeance.

"Such patience must not be underestimated, masters."

The four council members sat in silence, considering Obi-Wan's words. For his part, Obi-Wan did not understand why they appeared to value his opinions so. Perhaps Siri was right. Perhaps Naboo bound him to the Sith in a way that no one could have foreseen. Perhaps the council thought he had insights which they did not. The very thought set a chill in Obi-Wan's bones.

"Much wisdom you have, Obi-Wan," Master Yoda said, as though he'd heard Obi-Wan's thoughts. "Underestimate the Sith, we must not. Prepare for evacuation, we must."

"Evacuation?" Mace sat up straight, startled by his old master's sudden declaration. "Master Yoda, that seems a little extreme."

"Command to evacuate, I did not," Yoda lightly tapped his gimer stick on the floor. "But prepared we must be."

"All right," Mace sighed. "Force help us if it comes down to abandoning the temple."

"Perhaps we should move on to the matter of sharing information with the Chancellor?" Ki-Adi-Mundi suggested.

A tense stillness had settled within the chamber, the kind that threatened to freeze the blood in one's veins. Obi-Wan forced himself to relax. He never thought he'd bear witness to such dire conversations. Yet there he stood, not simply observing the conversation, but participating in it.

"Yes," Mace said. "I have a meeting with the Chancellor tomorrow morning. In the interest of resolving this problem quickly and restoring democracy as soon as possible, the council has decided to share all the information we've gathered. Master Kenobi, since you've been at the forefront of collecting much of the intelligence we have, I would like you to accompany me to fill in any gaps."

"Very well, master," Obi-Wan said.

"I'll send you the details shortly," Mace said. "In the meantime, see a healer for that arm and then get some actual sleep. Meditation will only cut it for so long."

* * *

Vokara Che stood in the crumpled remains of the Halls of Healing gardens. The once tranquil grove was littered with dust, broken plants, and the shattered remains of the wall separating the garden from the concourse that lay behind it. She'd refused to let the construction crews, or even droids, clean up the destruction while she and her team of temple healers were still treating the injured.

Fortunately the healing halls lay behind thick durasteel walls, and apart from a few supplies that got knocked over in the concussive tremors resulting from rocket blasts, the Halls of Healing were undamaged.

It was the first moment in an entire rotation that Vokara had time to stop and think. She wiped away the tears that threatened to fall before they could succumb to gravity's pull. It would not do to break down when any moment an apprentice healer could come looking for her to ask for assistance. She had to be a source of strength to those around her.

A noise, the sound of transparisteel sliding across duracrete drew her attention to the hole in the garden wall. Obi-Wan Kenobi stood there, half unbalanced as he righted himself after nearly tripping over a chunk of debris.

"Kenobi," she sighed by way of greeting and propped one hand on her hip, while the other gently massaged her temple.

"Ah, sorry if I startled you," Obi-Wan said.

"This is a rather unconventional route to take to the healers," Vokara said, frowning.

"Yes, well," Obi-Wan walked closer, scratching at his beard as he surveyed the damage. "This. . . entrance, I suppose. . . was closer than the main one. And to be frank I had hoped to keep Master Windu's request that I see a healer as a brief visit with an apprentice. I've already treated my own wounds, and after yesterday I'm sure you're all very busy in here."

"Stop talking and come with me, Kenobi," Vokara turned on her heel and walked back inside the halls. "You look about as tired as I feel, and I'm short on patience. If Master Windu himself told you to come here I'm sure he has his reasons."

She led him to a small examination room a few paces down the first hallway left from the gardens, and told him to take off his cloak and sit on the examination table. He complied without fuss.

"I'm not even touching you and I can feel your injuries are not insignificant," Vokara moved to stand in front of Obi-Wan, bringing her hands to either side of his neck.

"It's been a rough week," Obi-Wan conceded. "The plasma burn on my left arm is probably the worst of it."

"And the concussion," Vokara said, noticing Obi-Wan's slight grimace. Her lip curled up at the side, but her slight amusement quickly turned bitter. "You should know by now that nothing gets past me."

"Yes master," Obi-Wan said. "It's not that I don't value your care, or that I am wilfully neglectful with my own health. . . There is just so much to do."

"I know," Vokara sighed. "Take off your tunics so I can get a closer look at this burn."

Obi-Wan quickly relieved himself of tabards and outer tunics. When he took off the thin inner tunic he did not expect to see the great purpling on his ribs. "Well, that's new," he said.

"Dear me," Vokara sighed again. "These bruises are a few days old at least. How did you not notice?"

"I was employing field pain suppressant techniques throughout my wakeful stint the past week, and I don't make it a habit of admiring my own body," Obi-Wan jokingly said. "I suppose I would have dropped already if it were serious."

"Indeed," Vokara said. "You're lucky. Nothing is broken. And that cut on your forehead. . . what on earth have you been up to?"

"I had a tussle with a rather determined bounty hunter in the sopping rain," Obi-Wan said, calmly watching as Vokara unbound the bandage he'd wrapped around the wound on his left arm.

"Obi-Wan," she said, frowning as the wound was revealed. "I was expecting a blaster wound, but this is a lightsaber burn."

Obi-Wan said nothing.

Vokara took a deep breath. "It's not too late to prevent the cut on your forehead from scarring, but there's nothing I can do about the lightsaber wound. That one will certainly scar."

"As it should," Obi-Wan said.

Vokara's frown deepened. She could sense the disquiet in the man's mind. "I would like to admit you."

"I'm afraid that's not possible," Obi-Wan immediately said. "Tomorrow morning I am to accompany Master Windu to a meeting with Chancellor Palpatine."

"Then at least stay here for the night and allow me to treat your injuries properly," Vokara demanded.

"You're tired, master," Obi-Wan said. "Save your energy for those on death's door."

"My team has everything well in hand," Vokara said, her voice strong. "I have time and energy enough to make sure you're set right before the morning. Lie down, sleep, and let me do what I was meant to."

A battle of wills endured as they stared at one another. Both were equally stubborn, but it was Obi-Wan who looked away first.

"All right, Master Che," he said. "You win, but. . . can you make sure I don't dream?"

It was such a vulnerable request that Vokara lost her voice, and simply stared as Obi-Wan grabbed a pillow from where it had fallen on the floor. Once he'd settled onto the narrow bed—that really wasn't meant for sleeping on, but with limited room elsewhere in the Halls of Healing she wasn't about to argue against his quick compliance—her words returned to her.

"Yes," she said. "That I can do."

She watched as he nodded his head and closed his eyes. His fatigue pulled him into sleep almost immediately. Vokara gently set to work.

In sleep the man looked terribly young, she noted. Yet his exhaustion was palpable. He'd been through much, and somehow he was still a pillar of strength and confidence, especially among the younger Jedi. They looked up to him, but Vokara had seen first hand how he humbly brushed aside their admiration.

He was only thirty-four years old, but Vokara knew that worth and wisdom was not tied to age. She was certain that the young master, in some way, had been chosen by the Force.

She hoped he would be able to endure past the hardships the Force would inevitably guide him through.


	13. Chapter 13

Posted 22/12/2018

* * *

RESOLVE II

* * *

13.

The wide, circular lobby preceding the office of the Chancellor held many seats and few distractions. Set casually, it was where larger meetings were often conducted. The blood red wall paint was not something that Obi-Wan appreciated. The colour was too straining to look at and made him feel like a cornered animal. Which was a little ironic since the room was round and very spacious. Obi-Wan grinned despite himself.

"Something funny?" Mace Windu asked. He was seated opposite Obi-Wan in the large room. His arms were crossed, fingers drumming against his bicep. It was the only sign that the Korun master was beginning to lose his patience.

They'd been sitting there for well over an hour already.

"I was just considering the colour of the walls, master," Obi-Wan said.

That drew an unexpected laugh from Mace Windu. "It's horrendous," he said.

Obi-Wan shrugged. "It's a politician's colour, I suppose. All passion and drama."

"Hm," Mace nodded.

"Is it common for the Chancellor to make you wait so long?" Obi-Wan asked, brows furrowing in curiosity. The Master of the Order often found himself in meetings with the Chancellor.

"No, it's not," Mace said. "I expect he has a bit more on his plate than usual."

It was a fair assessment, but Obi-Wan could see that Mace was unimpressed by the delay. Still, the Korun master was known for his control over himself.

The door to the Chancellor's office opened abruptly, revealing a dishevelled Palpatine.

"Master Windu, please forgive my lack of punctuality," Palpatine said. "As you can imagine it's a most trying time right now."

"Indeed," Mace Windu said, standing and greeting the Chancellor with a respectful bow. Obi-Wan mimicked his movements.

"Please, step into my office," Palpatine turned on his heel and walked back towards the wide window overlooking Coruscant. "I see you've brought Obi-Wan Kenobi with you. It's been some time since I've had the pleasure. How is young Anakin doing?"

Obi-Wan followed Mace inside the Chancellor's office. He was vaguely piqued, but not surprised, to see the same red colour donning the walls there as well. The Chancellor took a seat behind his large desk, while Mace sat down in the right-side visitor's chair. Obi-Wan took a seat on the left, and noticed the strangely curious look Palpatine gave him.

"Rough dealings all around, I'm afraid," Obi-Wan said non-committally. He never did like the interest Palpatine showed in Anakin, and he wasn't about to tell the man of the turn Anakin had recently taken. Not when he hadn't yet fully dealt with it himself.

"Ah yes," Palpatine nodded. "Such are the times. What can I do for you today, Master Windu? I assure you the Republic is doing everything within its power to find those responsible for the attack on the Jedi Order."

"Yes, and we thank you for that, Chancellor," Mace said. "We've actually come to you today to share information we discovered recently. Master Kenobi here was in a debriefing with the High Council regarding it when the droids began their attack."

"And what information is this?" Palpatine asked. He set down the stylus he'd been fiddling with and interlocked his fingers.

Mace then explained, in explicit detail, the discovery of Master Sifo-Dyas' personal mission, and how it resulted in the clones on Kamino. He left nothing out. Obi-Wan kept his focus on the Chancellor, watching his reactions as a means of interest, of gauging the man's feelings. Palpatine was strangely adept at keeping whatever surprise he may have felt under wraps. In fact, Obi-Wan could sense little from the Chancellor at all. It was almost as if the man were Force-bereft. Not unheard of, for a human. But certainly strange.

"That solves an immediate problem," the Chancellor said once Mace finished relaying what the Jedi knew.

"I don't quite understand your meaning, Chancellor," Mace said.

"The Republic needs an army, and it seems these cloners are ready to provide one."

Mace sat a little straighter in his chair. Obi-Wan frowned. He did not like the idea of employing clones commissioned by the Sith. It seemed a dangerous move, and yet they couldn't simply do nothing either. Mace had not discussed this with Obi-Wan beforehand. He didn't know what the High Council's opinion was on the matter.

"They may be ready to provide an army, but we must consider the source," Mace said. "The fact is the Republic did _not_ commission the creation of these clones."

"No," Palpatine said. "But the Kaminoans think we did. And that's all we need to lay claim to them."

"That and trillions of credits," Obi-Wan said. "The Kaminoan records showed that the money to begin production was routed through the Banking Clan. If we can discover where the money came from originally we can prepare more fully to intercept and take over future transactions."

"Hm, I don't think that will be necessary, Master Kenobi," Palpatine said. "You see, after the Militray Creation Act passed the floor the Banking Clan graciously offered to fund the operation by releasing their claim on the funds of Damask Holdings. They too wish to bring this simmering conflict to an end before it can truly begin."

"Chancellor, discovering the identity of those responsible for commissioning the clones is not a matter of idle curiosity," Mace said, his voice imploring. "They represent a threat to the Republic itself, and should not remain unknown to us."

"I agree, Master Windu," Palpatine said. "But the more pressing concern, I believe, is getting that army under our control."

"It doesn't add up," Obi-Wan said. "If I recall correctly, Damask Holdings aimed to keep the outer systems in discontent to turn greater profits, through exploitation, among other less than upstanding methods. The Banking Clan has been accused of similar dealings. Why would profiteers who care nothing for the welfare of other planets and systems now suddenly wish to lend a hand?"

"The Damask Clan was wiped out ten years ago," Palpatine said. "Their fortune has been tied up with the Banking Clan since. It was only within recent weeks that the legalities were resolved, and I must admit, the timing is quite fortuitous."

Ten years. Obi-Wan frowned. A lot happened ten years ago and it seemed like more than mere coincidence to Obi-Wan. His instincts screamed at him that something was very wrong with the picture presented by Palpatine.

His comlink beeped.

Obi-Wan took it from his belt and noticed that it was Jordi Milos from decryption. "I'm afraid this can't wait," Obi-Wan said. "Please excuse me."

He stood and quickly made his way outside the office, back into the garish lobby room.

"Kenobi," he answered once he was certain there were no eavesdroppers nearby.

" _Master, I've cracked it_ ," the young man said. His voice sounded exhausted. " _I hope you can make heads or tails of it, master. It looks quite ordinary to me_."

"What do you mean?" Obi-Wan asked, wondering if his instincts had been wrong.

" _Well, as far as I can tell it's a simple reading list_ ," Jordi said.

"A reading list?" Obi-Wan rubbed a hand across his face.

" _Yes master, of poetry I believe_ ," Jordi sounded apologetic. " _All of the titles listed were written by Samsi Plurosh._ "

Obi-Wan sighed. A star forsaken reading list.

"Please send me the file," Obi-Wan said. "I truly hope I didn't just waste your time and energy, Jordi. If I did you have my sincerest apologies."

" _There's no need for apology, master_ ," Jordi said. " _If there is something more to discover I'm sure you'll do so_."

Obi-Wan took out his datapad and linked it to his comlink. The file sprang open on the screen a moment later. "I've got it, thank you Jordi."

" _It was my pleasure, master_."

With the conversation ended Obi-Wan stowed his comlink back in his belt. He held the datapad in one hand and scrolled though the reading list. He'd always known about Tyro's fascination with Samsi Plurosh. The poet had oddly succinct commentary on the progression of political decay. Obi-Wan had read a few of her pieces, at Tyro's behest, and would readily admit that the woman had a way with words.

As he scrolled through the list he realised he recognised every single title. They'd all been in the small volume Tyro had once given him to read. All except the last two. But he recognised those as well.

They were lines from two separate poems. Not titles of poems like the rest of the list.

Obi-Wan read them. Then read them again.

 _Death, against my armoured soul kicks_

 _Beware, the old man and his tricks_

Obi-Wan read through those two lines again, and suddenly the answer sprang out at him like a vivid colour would.

 _ **D** eath, **a** gainst **m** y **a** rmoured **s** oul **k** icks_

Damask.

"Stars," Obi-Wan whispered into the empty room.

 _Beware, the old man and his tricks_

Obi-Wan glanced at the door leading to Palpatine. Was it really that simple? Is this what Tyro was murdered for? Is this what he discovered? Did he discover a link between Palpatine and Damask? Or was Obi-Wan simply seeing what he wanted to see?

 _No,_ he thought, _It can't be coincidence._

Palpatine had come to power precisely because of the invasion of Naboo. An event in which the Sith revealed themselves to the Jedi for the first time in a thousand years. That's where their plans began. But no, their plans certainly must have gone back further than that. Naboo was simply the earliest point of the Sith plot that the Jedi were aware of. The thought sent a chill running down Obi-Wan's spine. What other plans could they have laid in place?

Damask. Palpatine had access to the Damask fortune. The Damask clan must have been involved with the Sith. With Palpatine's political power he could easily have swept under the rug anything that would lead to suspicion.

If the Sith could murder a Jedi Master and a high profile political aid, with the crime going unseen for a decade, then certainly they would have been able to twist politics to their whims as well. The Senate was rife with corruption. The Republic's ideals were becoming more smeared and scattered with each passing day. Political decay had been festering in the Senate before Palpatine, but objectively Obi-Wan knew Palpatine's reign had done nothing to eliminate it. In fact, his own discontent with politics was based purely in the fact that the Senate allowed deception, mistrust, and greed to run rampant. The voices of those who stood firm in the Republic's ideals were lost in the cacophony of clever words and promises made by those who stood to gain from an immoral society.

The Sith were playing a very long and patient game, and until now the Jedi had been blind and oblivious to it. A thousand years of peace had driven them to complacency. Obi-Wan saw everything piece together before his mind's eye, clear as day. He did not for a moment doubt that the Sith would seize the advantage they had managed to create for themselves.

What was most troubling to Obi-Wan was that if he was right about Palpatine, it meant that they had just revealed their entire hand to the lord of the Sith.

Obi-Wan took a calming breath. He needed to go back in there and pretend that nothing was amiss. If Palpatine got even an inkling that Obi-Wan had discovered his identity he and Mace may not leave the room alive.

Palpatine had been hiding under their noses all this time. There was no telling what powers the man possessed. They would need to be cautious.

Obi-Wan clipped his comlink to his belt and placed his datapad back in its pouch. He took another calming breath to focus his control, then turned back towards Palpatine's office.

Mace was still discussing Kamino and the Banking Clan when Obi-Wan returned to his seat. The words did not penetrate through to Obi-Wan's ears. It was as though he'd entered a void without clear sound. He could see Palpatine's lips moving, but the sound of his voice was drowned out by Obi-Wan's own heartbeat.

 _Calm down,_ he commanded himself, forcing his tense muscles to relax. He kept his eyes focussed on Palpatine. The man was looking at him with an expression of concern. It seemed so genuine, and for a moment Obi-Wan doubted himself, but then he ignored what his eyes saw and looked instead through the Force. Palpatine's presence was a tight coil of control. It was so controlled that Obi-Wan barely felt the man at all. It wasn't proof, exactly, but it was far from normal in a being who wasn't Force-sensitive.

Obi-Wan wondered why no Jedi had ever picked up on the subtlety of the anomaly before.

"Are you quite all right, Master Kenobi?" Palpatine asked. Concern still displayed on his face.

Obi-Wan straightened in his seat. "Yes," Obi-Wan said, purposefully meeting the man's eyes. "Forgive me, Chancellor. My distraction was due to the news I received a moment ago, but I assure you, you have my full attention again."

"I was saying that we ought not waste time in securing these clones for the Republic," Palpatine said. "If it's true that the Separatists are behind their creation we must act swiftly."

 _So,_ Obi-Wan thought, _Either Palpatine gets control of the clone army, or Dooku does._

"We're treading down a very slippery slope here, Chancellor," Obi-Wan said. "I sense a great deal of deception regarding both the clones, and the recent attack on the Jedi Temple."

Mace slowly turned towards Obi-Wan and gave him a stern, yet curious look.

"I do not know much about Jedi senses," Palpatine said. Obi-Wan saw the lie for what it was, and was unsurprised to feel a minor fluctuation on Palpatine's presence. "It's true that we haven't yet discovered the organisation behind the attack, but surely it was a Separatist plot. Don't you agree, Master Kenobi?"

"I certainly believe that Separatist involvement is a possibility," Obi-Wan said. "But my instincts tell me that the origin is a bit closer to home."

And there it was. A sharp spike of agitation emanated through the Force. Palpatine's face remained set in the mask of the calm politician, but Obi-Wan was convinced now.

"We're getting a little off topic here," Mace said. "Chancellor, we've relayed all the information the Jedi have gathered, and now we must return to our duties at the Temple. There is much to be done."

"Certainly, Master Windu" Palpatine said. He stood and walked with them to the outer door of his office. "I wish the Jedi a speedy recovery from this ordeal. And have heart; it will not be long until we discover the driving force behind the plot."

Obi-Wan found Palpatine's efforts at reassuring the Jedi both unnecessary and interesting. It was something a kind-hearted soul would do, and the old man played the part with such perfection that the Jedi Master fully understood why Palpatine had managed to fool them for so long.

The two Jedi entered a turbolift. Obi-Wan watched as Palpatine's retreating back disappeared behind the closing doors. Mace set the lift into motion with a simple command.

"Your earlier distraction was completely out of character," Mace remarked. He stood with his hands clutched behind his back, and stared at the door.

"Yes, master," Obi-Wan said, taking a deep breath. "I'm afraid I may have made yet another terrible discovery."

"Which is?" Mace turned to fully face Obi-Wan.

"Not here, master," Obi-Wan shook his head.

"The speeder, then," Mace said, turning back to face the door and conceding the point.

Once safely sealed inside the confines of the Jedi speeder, Mace turned his demanding expression on the younger Jedi Master. Obi-Wan slowly pulled at his beard, head tilted down ever so slight as he gathered his thoughts.

"I think Palpatine is the Sith lord we've been searching for."

At first, Mace showed no reaction to the statement. Then he shifted in his seat, the corners of his mouth pulling down a fraction.

"Palpatine?" He asked, tone even, as though the conversation was of no more consequence than the weather forecast. "What makes you think that?"

"Do you remember Tyro Caladian?"

"The senatorial aide who committed suicide?"

For a moment Obi-Wan sat completely still. His mouth suddenly felt like he'd tried to swallow cotton.

"He did not commit suicide," Obi-Wan calmly stated.

Mace glanced at Obi-Wan out of the corner of his eye, sensing the younger man's carefully controlled emotions.

"You knew him?" Mace asked.

"Yes, very well," Obi-Wan said. "He would never have taken his own life. It wasn't relevant at the time, because I didn't yet know what the link was, but the bounty hunter who was after Senator Amidala was the one who killed Tyro."

"Why wasn't this reported in the media?"

"Neither law enforcement nor the courts deem a Jedi's Force-perception as admissible evidence," Obi-Wan said as he started the speeder's engines.

"How does this link back to Palpatine?" Mace crossed his arms.

"Before Tyro died he had the presence of mind to hide information in a datacard," Obi-Wan pulled out of the Senatorial parking arcade and came to a stop in the middle of mid morning Coruscanti traffic. "I don't imagine he had much time to hide the details of his investigation—I had asked him to look into any money trails Master Sifo-Dyas might have left—and I think he found far more than that. The clue Tyro left spelled out _Damask_ , and also warned against an _old man and his tricks_."

"That is rather vague," Mace sighed.

"You have to admit that it adds up, master," Obi-Wan frowned at the slow-moving traffic of the skylanes. It wasn't usually quite so congested. "Palpatine even mentioned Damask in today's meeting. He came to power after his home planet was invaded by a corporate entity known to be in league with the Separatists, despite the Nemoidian Senator's adamant denial of the fact. The Sith revealed themselves to us in that very invasion, and shortly after that Master Sifo-Dyas goes missing."

"You think this was all part of the Sith's plot, and that Palpatine is behind it all?"

"Yes," Obi-Wan craned his neck to try and see what was causing the delay. "I think Master Sifo-Dyas unintentionally presented the Sith with an opportunity. From what I know of Sifo-Dyas he would never have aided the Sith willingly ."

"No, he wouldn't have," Mace leaned his elbow on the door frame and brought his index finger to his upper lip. He looked troubled now. "Why didn't you mention this before? If you're right we just put the entire Jedi Order in a very precarious position."

"Tyro's datacard was encrypted," Obi-Wan said. "The decrypted files only came through during the meeting with the Chancellor. I didn't make the connection until then."

"Then you did well to guard your thoughts while in Palpatine's presence," Mace narrowed his eyes as he also tried to see what was causing the hold-up.

"My minor accomplishment aside, master, the Jedi Order is in jeopardy," Obi-Wan said as the vehicles in front of them finally started moving. "He was very keen on securing the Kaminoan clones for the Republic, and we have no idea what the extent of his plans are. If he gains control over them I fear he may use them to attack the Order before we can find the proof we need to bring this matter to the Senate."

"And how would he spin an attack on the Jedi to the Senate?" Mace asked, his stoic mask finally cracking to reveal a sliver of incredulity.

"He's been very clever so far," Obi-Wan reasoned. "No doubt he will have something prepared. For all we know his plans could already be in motion."

"Speculation will only cause panic," Mace said.

Traffic came to a stand-still once again. In a rare display of impatience Obi-Wan hit the steering console with his open palm. Mace said nothing. The impatience was creeping up on him too.

"I have a bad feeling," Obi-Wan said, his voice calm, yet his brow-line betrayed his unsettled thoughts.

"So do I," Mace said.

And it was the Master of the Order's admission, more than his own feelings, that spurred Obi-Wan on to break the traffic laws.

Jedi enjoyed certain liberties when there were emergencies, and while a bad feeling didn't constitute an emergency under Republic law, Obi-Wan still felt perfectly justified as he swerved the Jedi speeder out of its lane and above the skylanes. The hold-up became immediately apparent.

"What in the blazes is going on there?" Obi-Wan said as they caught sight of several large ships cutting across the lanes ahead of them. The identical ships sped by one after the other in a seemingly endless stream.

"Those ships are military grade," Mace said after spotting the turrets protruding from the hulls.

Obi-Wan shared a surprised look with Mace Windu, before hitting the accelerator and shooting up above the buildings to get a clearer view of the scene.

"They're heading for the Temple," Obi-Wan said. Dread settled uneasily in his gut. They had just begun to speculate what Palpatine might do, yet already it seemed that the danger had found them. The Sith were truly ten steps ahead of them.

Mace moved quickly as he took out his comlink and keyed in a signal. The seconds it took for Master Yoda to answer felt like an eternity.

"Give the evacuation order," Mace said, not bothering to greet the ancient master. "There are gunships heading towards the Temple. They're travelling on the lower routes so as not to be seen. If they plan to attack we have a matter of minutes."

Yoda was silent for but a heartbeat, then he asked, "Too many to defend against, are they?"

"Judging by how many ships have passed us, yes," Mace said. A beat of silence, then, "Master Yoda, we have not recovered, and this will be worse than the droid attack."

"Understood, Master Windu," Yoda said. The comlink did nothing to dull the sound of the ancient master's dismay.

Obi-Wan navigated the Jedi speeder out above the structures and made a beeline for the Jedi Temple. There was a risk in drawing attention to themselves this way, and a few eager traffic officer droids did see them fly by, but the ones who set chase after them quickly gave up once they scanned and registered the vehicle's Jedi affiliation.

Breaking every speed restriction in existence they arrived in Jedi Temple airspace before the first gunship rose from the cityscape below. As they entered the hangar Obi-Wan mentally prepared himself for the moments to come. He was relieved to see Jedi pilots already seated within their delta class starfighters, the engines whirring at deafening volume within the confined space of the hangar bays. None had taken off yet, and from the apprehensive expressions of the pilots and the Temple workers alike, it was clear that all present hoped that it was merely a false alarm. Still, they stood ready.

Whatever lay ahead, Obi-Wan knew that the Jedi were ready to defend themselves. To the last, if necessary.

On the far end of the vast space Obi-Wan spotted several larger transport ships. The fighters would have to secure safe passage before any of them could take off. It was a task made more difficult by the gunships' turrets.

 _And they might have rocket launchers,_ Obi-Wan mused as he climbed out of the speeder.

"Nice piloting," Mace said. His tone suggested something between approval and amazement.

"You have Qui-Gon and Anakin to thank for that," Obi-Wan allowed a small grin to pass over his face.

"I thought you disliked flying," Mace said as they ran towards one of the auditoriums to brief the High Council and other Jedi.

"Dislike and competency are two entirely different things, master," Obi-Wan said.

They reached the auditorium to find a scene of subdued alarm. Many knights and masters sat and stood around the auditorium, staring at the holoprojector in the centre of the large room. It showed a wide view of the Jedi Temple, and tracked the gunships as they entered Temple airspace one after another. Some stayed in the air, but most of the ships landed and unloaded troops in white armour. They marched towards the Jedi Temple's entrances in formation, their blaster rifles held at the ready.

"They are ignoring our attempts to communicate with them, master," a young knight said from his position at the holoprojector.

"Activate the rayshields. It should buy us some time," Mace Windu said as he walked up to the gathering of council masters. Obi-Wan stayed back and watched from the doorway.

"Master Windu," Yoda said, leaning on his gimer stick. He gestured to the scene unfolding on the holoprojector. "Know the meaning of this, do you?"

"Master Kenobi," Mace said, gesturing for the younger master to explain.

Obi-Wan stepped forward, surprised to have been called upon, but not unprepared. "If assumptions may be made, I'd say that the Sith have seized control of the Kaminoan clone army, and are attacking us. Recent information suggests that there is a high probability that Chancellor Palpatine is the Sith we've been looking for. Since the Jedi have started to uncover his plot, it stands to reason that he will accelerate his plans before we can form a counter strategy."

"Hence the army on our doorstep," Mace added.

"And so quickly after the droid attack," Ki-Adi-Mundi shook his head. "I fear we do not fully understand the extent of the deception at work here."

"No time to uncover it, have we," Yoda said, addressing the room at large. "Survival, our priority is now. Know your duties, you do."

The holoprojector lit up with the first explosions as gunships lined up and fired volleys into the main entrance of the Jedi Temple.

"Master Rhara, launch the starfighters," Yoda said. "Safeguard the evacuation the rest of us will."

The Jedi quickly filtered out of the auditorium. As Obi-Wan left the room behind a Teevan master, he heard Mace say, "Many will die."

"Live, many will as well," Yoda responded.

Obi-Wan's determination rose. He would do whatever he could to ensure that more lives were saved than lost that day.

The brash actions of the Sith seemed unwise. Obi-Wan felt he could sense desperation in their sudden impatience, and suspected that he had gotten too close to the truth in too short a time. Perhaps they now regretted taking Anakin captive on Korriban.

Obi-Wan shuddered to think what would have been the outcome if Anakin's capture never set him on the path to discovering their plot.

 _And yet_ , he thought, _The day is not yet won._

Mace Windu was right. Many Jedi were about to die.


	14. Chapter 14

Posted 29/12/2018

* * *

RESOLVE II

* * *

14.

Garen Muln stared at the bay door in front of him. His eyes held the focus of a born warrior. He would be the first to admit that when it came to lightsaber combat he was quickly outclassed by many of his peers, but put him in a starfighter and he felt like he could not be outmanoeuvred.

The twin ion engines of his Delta hummed in ready anticipation. A dull ache lanced through the leg that had once been so badly broken. It was fully healed, but the injury had left him with a reminder of his own mortality. The phantom ache reared its head when he was under stress, but it did not hinder him. Instead it sharpened his focus and kept him alert. It reminded him of how Master Clee Rhara used to pinch his thigh to try and distract him during training simulations.

" _A Jedi cannot allow even the smallest thing to distract them from their task_ ," she had said. " _Something as insignificant as a flee bite can make you flinch. For a Jedi even a simple reflex like that can be dangerous. Even more so when piloting a starship_."

Garen spared a brief thought to wonder where Obi-Wan and Reeft were stationed, and thanked the Force that Bant was off world. He jerked his thoughts back to the present moment and waited for the docking bay door to open.

He could hear the sound of blaster canons going off on the other side. It would be his job, and his fellow Jedi pilots' job, to secure the airspace around the Temple.

 _Evacuation_ , he thought. Never did the thought even cross Garen's mind that they would one day abandon their home. But that day had come, and he was ready to do his part to ensure the Jedi Order's survival.

"Opening the bay doors," the voice of the squad coordinator announced. "Delta-1, you have the lead."

"Copy," Garen said. "May the Force be with us."

The open sky of Coruscant came into view, and Garen cranked the power of his starfighter. The moment he exited the hanger gunships fired upon him, but with the aid of the Force he evaded the blasts with elegant barrel rolls and dives that brought him perilously close to the durasteel surface of the ziggurat.

He banked sharply to the left and brought his starfighter in line with the less manoeuvrable gunships. He pulled the trigger and fired off a burst at the first gunship, destroying both its turrets and its engines. It careened down in a spiral, and crashed with metal's terrible squeal against the outer foundation of the ziggurat.

More starfighters emerged from the docking bays, and soon a full scale air battle was taking place above the Jedi Temple.

Gunships retreated to the air from the landing sites to provide air support for the clone troopers, but the clunky military transports were outclassed by the smaller, more manoeuvrable Jedi starfighters. Barely a minute after Garen and his squad emerged from the hanger the gunships were in full retreat.

"Do we pursue?" One of the pilots asked.

"No," Garen said. "Our mandate is to protect Jedi air space. We will not take this battle to the civilian sector. There will be enough collateral as it is."

"What about the ground troops? It looks like they've breached the ray shields on the main entrance."

Garen turned his starfighter and flew a wide loop around the Temple. True enough, soldiers were marching in. The overwhelmed Temple Guard were retreating inside, deflecting blaster fire as they went. One guard fell, followed by another. Garen clenched his jaw.

"Strafing runs," he said. "Fly low, fire at shallow angles. We don't want to upset the interior structures for those still evacuating."

Garen led the assault, sweeping a wide circle until he was lined up with the marching army. He dropped so low the underside of his starfighter nearly scraped the surface of the ziggurat. He fired off a burst into the army, taking out a chunk of their number and slowing their ascent. One by one his squad followed his line and fired off their own bursts.

The army's ranks were thinning, but not quickly enough. They increased their pace, and many crossed the threshold of the Temple. The starfighters could not reach them there, and the Jedi within would have to stop them.

 _May the Force be with us all,_ Garen thought as he swooped low on the other side of the ziggurat, setting up a second strafing run where more companies of white-armoured soldiers were attempting to breach the western entrance.

* * *

Ali-Alann had his hands full. It was difficult enough to keep his own serenity in tact as he heard the explosions and felt the tremors, but to add the safety and peace of mind of his gaggle of younglings on top of that seemed an almost insurmountable task. He didn't know what was going on. They had only been told the bare minimum;

The Jedi Temple was under attack, again, and it was time to evacuate.

Ali-Alann felt an uncharacteristic surge of indignation as he tried to understand what sort of being would attack a peacekeeping force. The sheer disbelief he felt that it was the second attack in three days nearly made him sweat his distress, but he called upon his many years of Jedi training, and the patience he developed through decades of raising younglings, to calm himself.

He led the way through the halls to the vast hangerbay of the Jedi Temple. Behind him his younglings obediently walked in two neat lines, holding hands with the child next to them. A set of padawans brought up the rear to make sure no one wandered off.

It was sheer madness, but Ali-Alann did not allow his discontent to broadcast. The younglings were broadcasting enough fear and uncertainty to sully whatever calm they may have held before. No, the Jedi Master would not add to the inner struggles of the children. He was supposed to be a pillar of strength for them, and that's what he would be. He released a calming breath, and with it went his anxieties.

"We're almost there, younglings," Ali-Alann spoke with a kind tone.

They entered the hanger, being careful to stay out of the path of the Jedi and Temple workers who were rushing to get ships supplied and fuelled. Ali-Alann spotted master Yoda talking to a technician near the largest transport vessel the Jedi owned. It was an enormous freighter that could house a thousand. In a pinch it could probably accommodate double that amount.

The trouble was that the freighter was older than Master Yoda himself.

It came from a different time. A time when the Jedi had been forced to relocate. _Much as we are now,_ Ali-Alann thought as he recalled the story of why the Jedi had kept the relic. It served as a piece of Jedi History, but the technicians never allowed it to fall into disrepair, and over the years they had kept the ship in working condition. If rumours were true, they had even given it a few upgrades. Ali-Alann hoped the old ship would carry them all to safety.

"Welcome, younglings," Master Yoda said when they reached him. He leaned against his gimer stick, off to the side of the boarding ramp. "Your first starship journey this will be. A large ship this is. Listen to your master, and wander off you must not."

"Yes, Master Yoda," the younglings chorused. Ali-Alann spared Yoda a brief nod, then led the way aboard the old freighter. A technician led them down several corridors before they reached a compartment that held twelve bunks.

"Double up and pick a bunk," he said. The padawans stood by the doorway, looking antsy. He could not blame them. They could all still hear the distant, muffled sound of canon fire. They could still feel the reverberations travelling through the permacrete and durasteel. The ones who were sensitive enough could also feel the dwindling of life outside the Temple. That dwindling had crept its way past the threshold and was now within the Temple as well.

The younglings started whispering among themselves, and through the soft murmuring Ali-Alann heard a sniffle, then a high-pitched hiccup. He moved to the corner of the room where a small girl was tucked between a bulkhead and a bunk. "Talsi?" He crouched down near her. She was facing the wall. Ali-Alann reached a hand forward and touched her small shoulder. The six year old girl seemed to shrink in on herself at his touch. "Come here child," he gently tried to coax. "Tell me what's wrong."

Ever so slowly Talsi's shoulders relaxed and she lifted her head. Then she pulled herself to her feet and turned around. Ali-Alann waited for her to come to him. When she did she fell into his arms and hid her face in his shoulder. She was still hiccuping, and he could feel his tunic soak through with her tears.

"What's wrong, dear?" Ali-Alann asked again. The other younglings watched on with apprehensive fascination, their tiny brows scrunched in lines of sympathy and confusion.

"He won't come with us," she sniffled.

"Who?" Ali-Alann asked. His heart sank. The girl was prone to precognitive visions, and while Master Yoda would forever preach that the future was always in motion, Talsi had an uncanny knack for getting it right.

"The nice master who protected us from the bad droids," Talsi said, her face scrunching up again as more tears came.

"Master Obi-Wan?" Ali-Alann asked, his heart sinking.

"Yes," Talsi said. "They all look the same and there's too many and he's hurt."

The old crèche master had once raised Obi-Wan Kenobi from toddler to initiate. He could still see the bright-eyed, dimpled little face in his mind's eye. Obi-Wan the boy had also been prone to precognitive visions, but he'd never had to deal with anything as dire as Talsi's proclamation. The worst one he remembered from Obi-Wan was when, as a five year old, he came barrelling into his sleep quarters, shaking him awake and talking a mile a minute about the red demon with the yellow eyes. Obi-Wan hadn't cried. No, he'd looked thoroughly determined. As though he was ready to fight an army of yellow-eyed demons. He'd had a tough time trying to calm the boy down enough to sleep, and in the end he had to resort to the use of a Force-suggestion.

If Talsi's sight proved true it wouldn't be the first time Ali-Alann had outlived a child he'd raised. But he knew it would hurt no less than all the others.

* * *

The wide atrium beyond the threshold of the Jedi Temple's main entrance held a plantation of pillars, pock-marked now by blaster fire. Jedi darted out from behind the thick cover to cut down soldiers, but wide as the space was it was only a matter of time before the Jedi were overrun by the superior number of clones. They were already beginning to flank the sides.

Obi-Wan was the first to notice. "Fall back to the concourse!" He yelled. "We'll set up a barricade in the choke!" He kept his back to the retreating Jedi, covering their escape with his skills of Soresu mastery. Growing bolder the clones began rushing for better position, heedless of Obi-Wan's expert deflections. Many clones fell, but many more drew closer. A young knight was hit by a volley from one of the flanks. Obi-Wan took one step towards his Jedi brother, felt the life leave the young man, then instead took a step towards the narrow entrance to the concourse.

He spared a fraction of a second to grieve the loss, but there was no time to gather the bodies of the fallen for a ritual farewell. Obi-Wan stayed rooted in the moment. The past mattered not. The future mattered not. All the mattered was the task at hand. When the last Jedi reached the cover provided by the concourse Obi-Wan enhanced his speed with the Force and darted through to safety as well.

"Help me bring down the overhang," Obi-Wan said as he stowed his lightsaber, and with the Force began tugging at the durasteel and permacrete that formed the enormous structure over the doorway. His fellow Jedi immediately assisted him, and with a terrible roar the metal and stone crashed down, sealing the doorway with a field of debris.

"How long do you think that will hold them, Master Kenobi?" One of the masked Temple Guards asked.

"It depends on what kind of ordinance they have with them," Obi-Wan said. "I expect they'll have thermal detonators, which means we've bought ourselves minutes at best." As if to emphasize the point an ear-splitting crack sounded from behind the debris. They felt the vibrations travel through their bones, and watched as dust particles were shot inwards towards them from the concussive force of the blast. "We need to move."

Led by Obi-Wan the group of Jedi Knights and Temple Guards jogged through the familiar corridors deeper into the temple. They reached the foundation of the massive Tranquility Spire in time to see Jocasta Nu argue with two Jedi Masters.

"We must go, Master Nu," the Teevan Jedi said. Obi-Wan recognised him as Master Simo Pelsum. He wasn't overly familiar with him, but he knew enough to know the man was a capable and insightful Jedi.

"What's the problem?" Obi-Wan asked.

Master Pelsum opened his mouth to answer, but Jocasta took a determined step towards Obi-Wan and raised her voice with a stern determination to be heard. "The holocrons!" She said, expecting them to understand the urgency of those two simple words. "The artefacts! Not all have been collected from the archival vault."

"Master Nu," Obi-Wan said. "There is little time. The longer we linger the more lives will be lost."

"The knowledge in those holocrons are irreplaceable, Master Kenobi," Jocasta almost pleaded. "If we lose it all we'll lose a piece of the Jedi Order's identity!"

"But the Order will survive," Obi-Wan said. "Change is an inevitable part of life. Master Pelsum is right. . . We must go."

"It's not just the history and philosophies," Jocasta tried again. "If we leave those holocrons and artefacts behind and they're found by the wrong people we'll have more trouble on our hands than simple lost knowledge."

"Then we must destroy them," Master Pelsum said.

"What?" Jocasta turned to him, absolutely aghast. "Some of those artefacts are millennia old!"

Obi-Wan was torn. Master Nu had a point. Ancient knowledge could prove to be the difference in the battles that lay ahead. Yet, time was not on their side.

"We'll take only what we can carry," Obi-Wan said.

"We have no time, Kenobi," Master Pelsum stressed.

"I understand," Obi-Wan said, then gently took Jocasta by the elbow and guided her inside the archives. He turned his head to address the Jedi gathered there, and said, "Those of you willing to play pack-mule follow me. The rest of you head to the evacuation ships or find a position to fortify."

Master Pelsum sighed, but followed after Obi-Wan. The Temple Guards stayed outside the archives, vigilant, waiting. The other Jedi followed behind the three masters.

Upon reaching the vault Jocasta was quick to open it. "Point out only the artefacts you deem most important, Master Nu," Obi-Wan said.

"Yes, yes," she said, impatient as she began loading artefacts onto a small repulsor sledge. "Time is of the essence, I know. Here, take this."

Jocasta handed a pyramid shaped holocron to Obi-Wan. It's size forced him to cradle it in his arms, but to his surprise it wasn't particularly heavy. Intricate spirals adorned the triangular sides, blending together at the apex. Obi-Wan had no time to ponder the mysteries of the object, or any of the other artefacts being loaded onto the repulsor sledge, so he simply placed it in a secure spot and moved towards the exit of the archives. Master Pelsum followed him while the other Jedi stayed to help Jocasta Nu.

Obi-Wan walked past the Temple Guards and turned the corner to face the collapsed doorway to the atrium. Dust and debris flew from the pile as explosive charges detonated on the other side. The barrier was dwindling quickly.

"We're taking too great a risk," Master Pelsum said. "We need to get to the evacuation ships."

"We also need to prevent that army from advancing," Obi-Wan said, looking around him, searching for anything he could use to hinder the soldiers' movement.

A colossal tremor pounded through that section of the Temple then. A spiderweb of cracks travelled along the walls. Obi-Wan flinched as the cracks caused debris to splinter into his face. He shook his head, clearing the dust that clung to his eyelashes. Had he not been blessed with the precognitive sense that allowed all Jedi such quick reflexes, he wouldn't have had time to brace himself. But his Force-sensitivity and Jedi training allowed him to stay on his feet, despite the rattling that caused durasteel and permacrete to groan against the abuse.

"Time's up," Master Pelsum said, urgency now leaking into his voice. He turned on his heel and sped away towards the Archives.

"I concur," Obi-Wan said, sparing one last glance at the cloud of dust that now lingered where the doorway to the Atrium once arched. He raced after Master Pelsum and tightly grasped his lightsaber in his right hand.

"Master Nu, we have no more time!" Master Pelsum bellowed as soon as he turned into the great halls of the Archives. "They've broken through, we must leave at once."

Obi-Wan stopped near the entrance of the Archives, and took up a position beside the Temple Guard. The swirling dust leaked into the hall, as though announcing the imminent arrival of the marching army. He took note of the Jedi pushing repulsor sledges, and others who carried various obscure items in their arms. Master Nu exited behind them, looking dismayed, as though her world had just fallen apart. But the expression lasted only a fraction of second before she steeled herself and followed the precious holocrons, artefacts, and tomes to the evacuation ships.

"Let's not linger, Master Kenobi," Master Pelsum said as he touched a gentle, but urgent hand to the younger master's shoulder.

"We need to buy more time," Obi-Wan said.

"With respect, masters," one of the masked guards stepped out of his defensive position to address both Obi-Wan and Master Pelsum. "This is the duty of the Temple Guard. You both must make your way to the ships. If the Jedi Order is to survive and rebuild, it will need the experience of Masters like yourselves."

Obi-Wan was still reluctant. It was not in his nature to leave others to fight battles he also had a stake in. But he could not dishonour the Temple Guard's courage by staying. They stood ready to meet death and rejoin the Force, all so the Jedi Order would survive.

Maybe his experience did mean something, but he did not feel more worthy of surviving than any of the masked guards standing before him.

With a strangled breath Obi-Wan conceded to the wisdom of the Guard. "Force be with you all," he said, then turned and followed after Master Pelsum.

They quickly caught up to Master Nu and the Jedi transporting the archival items. The group quickly navigated through the intricate hallways of the Temple, taking the shortest possible route to the vast hanger section of the ziggurat. Cutting through narrow service corridors saved them significant travel distance, but they had to go down them single file. Obi-Wan estimated another minute and they would reach the evacuation area.

He dropped to the back of the pack to make sure that no one would get left behind, when a sudden power surge caused the lights to flicker. A violent boom echoed down the narrow corridor moments before a section of the wall exploded inwards where the group had passed by only moments before. Obi-Wan took up a defensive position between the group and the newly made hole.

A figure covered from head to toe in dust and debris stumbled through the hole, heaving violent, wet-sounding coughs. Obi-Wan recognised the Togrutan and rushed forward in time to prevent the younger man from falling face first on the permacrete.

"Boko," Obi-Wan said, alarmed to see how bloodied his teeth were. The Togrutan was clearly in bad shape.

"Master Kenobi," Boko said. The young knight was trying to bravely push his injury aside, but mortal bodies could only handle so much, even with the Force. As he tried to push himself from his knees to his feet all he managed was a pained grunt and a cough.

Obi-Wan supported him with an arm snaking beneath Boko's arm and around his back. "Easy, Boko," Obi-Wan said. He took note of the bloody stains on Boko's tunics.

"No, master," Boko heaved. "They're coming."

Obi-Wan turned his head and saw Master Pelsum and another Jedi approach. "He needs a healer," he said, and indicated for them to take him. "I'll hold the corridor, Master Pelsum. Get everyone out."

"Kenobi," Master Pelsum hesitated.

"No time for debate, I'm afraid," Obi-Wan grinned as he handed the injured Togrutan knight over to Master Pelsum. He walked towards the gaping hole, lightsaber ready in his hand. He stopped and listened. He could hear the tap-tap-tap of the soldier's plastoid armour against the polished floors.

A grenade came sailing through the opening. Obi-Wan caught it with the Force and sent it back out blindly. The explosion shook more dust from the debris mound, and summoned pained cries from those caught in the blast radius.

Obi-Wan turned his head once more towards Master Pelsum. The older man held fast to the injured knight, but he still regarded Obi-Wan with a significant look. "Go," Obi-Wan almost pleaded. Ahead he could see Master Nu and the other Jedi disappear around the final bend. He met Master Pelsum's eyes again. It seemed as though the older man wanted to say a great many things, but was stopping himself from doing so. Obi-Wan was thankful for that.

"The Force is with you," Master Peslum finally said, then turned away from Obi-Wan and helped the injured Togrutan down the corridor at a hurried pace.

Obi-Wan took a deep breath, and waited.

The soldiers were being more careful now, weary of their own ordinance being flung back at them. But the sound of their plastoid armour gave them away. Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber and cleanly severed the head of the first soldier to step through the hole. The others paused and retreated.

A moment passed, then another. Obi-Wan couldn't hear the soldiers discuss anything, but knew they probably had internal comms in the helmets they wore. A sharp warning in the Force spurred Obi-Wan to leap backwards just in time to avoid the concussive blast and flying shrapnel resulting from the wall being blown to pieces.

The soldiers seemed to know better than to enter an enclosed space with a Jedi, and were attempting to blow him to pieces without getting near him, or even getting a visual on him. They were taking pot shots.

"Blast," Obi-Wan whispered as he ducked out of the way of yet another pounding explosion. _So much for holding that line,_ he thought. _Time to get out of here._

He sprinted down the service corridor, but instead of turning left to go to the hanger where the evacuation ships were, he turned right and exited the passage into the hallway leading to the ship maintenance bays. Around the corner he could see the soldiers advancing. The one in the lead, his armour marked with blue, held a holomap above his hand. The quick glance told Obi-Wan all he needed to know; The soldiers had a detailed map of the Temple, and were advancing towards the hanger level.

Obi-Wan could still sense the thousands of Jedi gathered in the hangers. _Why have they not yet left?_ He wondered.

Resolved to not let the soldiers reach the evacuation ships, Obi-Wan stepped out from behind his cover and ignited his lightsaber. He was but one man, and the soldiers had blasters a plenty, not to mention the explosive charges and grenades they carried. He spotted a few who even wielded devastating plasmatech canons.

The captain, as Obi-Wan identified the map-wielding soldier, signalled his troops to halt.

"Turn back," Obi-Wan said, his voice carrying strongly in the wide hallway.

In answer the soldiers open fired. Obi-Wan called upon every minute of training he'd ever endured and batted the bolts away as though they were nothing but the harmless training lasers of the salle droids.

But this was no training exercise. Thoughts of the past, thoughts of the future, even thoughts of the present fled from Obi-Wan's mind. There was only the battle. He didn't think about where Anakin might be, and he didn't wonder if Siri and Ferus made it onto a ship. He didn't stop to think about Garen's efforts to safeguard the airspace. He didn't think about where the Jedi would even flee to.

There was only this hallway, these soldiers, and this moment.

Obi-Wan would not let them get past him.

* * *

A/N: The final chapter of book 2 will be posted on the weekend of January 5th, 2019.


	15. Chapter 15

Final chapter of book II. Posted 5/1/2019.

* * *

RESOLVE II

* * *

15.

No rain had been scheduled for that day, but as the chronometer ticked over into afternoon the high sun became obscured by manufactured cloud formations. Their dark, sagging forms signalled to the pedestrians that it was time to get indoors. And quickly too.

It would later be reported as a malfunction, and the death of the Weather Control Officer on shift would be investigated and labelled as a work-place electrocution accident.

Garen's lips were set in a grim line as he swept his eyes along the sky, where thick thunderclouds gathered right above the Jedi Temple. The first rain drops all but evaporated when they hit the canopy of his starfighter. He still flew in loose circles around the great ziggurat, waiting for the enemy ships to return.

Smoke billowed out from the temple, its trail thrown to and fro in a jagged pattern by the wind. A particularly strong gust had Garen momentarily fighting the controls of his starfighter. Their ships were built to withstand adverse atmospheric conditions, but Garen knew that a lightning strike was unpredictable in its volatility. One strike might be absorbed by the ship's heat shielding, while another may trigger a catastrophic systems failure.

One simply did not willingly take chances with even the imitation of mother nature.

 _No choice today,_ Garen thought half miserably.

"Delta leader, are the skies clear?" A masculine voice crackled over the comm.

"It's as clear as it's going to get," Garen said, still scanning the skies for any sign of returning gunships. Minutes had passed since the gunships first retreated, and Garen's apprehension grew. Why hadn't they regrouped and attacked again? The soldiers on the ground were still fighting and dying. Surely their heavy ordinance hadn't abandoned them down there to their fates. Still, they likely weren't going to have a better opportunity to launch the evacuation ships.

"Your recommendation, Delta leader?"

"Launch when ready," Garen said. "But be cautious. I don't like that these gunships disappeared on us. They may be waiting for the freighters to emerge before they continue their assault. Delta squad will protect the flanks."

"Let's just hope they don't have control over the orbital defences."

Garen's heart leapt into his throat. He hadn't even considered the orbital defences. What if the freighters were blown to pieces the moment they left low orbit? "Well that would be a significant hindrance," he said. "Can we confirm?"

There was a brief pause in which static crackled through the comm, then, "Our tech expert says the orbital defences are currently online and actively scanning higher orbit and beyond."

"The ships will have to enter hyperspace before they reach high orbit then," Garen said.

"That sounds risky."

"It's less risky than getting shot at by canons designed to blow warships into dust," Garen wiped a hand across his brow where sweat was beginning to bead.

"I'll relay the message to the pilots. The _Concordance_ will launch momentarily."

Garen turned his starfighter and slowed to an almost full stop as he hovered near the largest set of hanger doors. The enormous durasteel contraption rose smoothly to reveal the expansive interior of the hanger bay. A mid-sized freighter, with the capacity to carry around one hundred souls, glided forward once the doors were fully raised. It's ion engines surged as soon as it was free from the confines of the Jedi Temple, and it picked up speed as it soared into the atmosphere.

Flanking the ship on either side were several of the Delta class starfighters. Garen kept pace with the much larger ship and paid close attention to both his ship's instruments, what his eyes saw, and the Force. They reached low orbit and Garen felt a flicker of apprehension. He swerved left just in time to avoid getting blasted by the canons of a gunship.

"Contact," Garen said over comms before adjusting his course to intercept the gunship. "Deltas two, four, and six stay with the _Concordance_. Deltas three, five, and seven with me. We have to take out those gunships."

The smaller Delta's easily turned the tables on the slower gunships, but the gunships appeared to not even care about the starfighters. They stayed the course, aiming straight for the freighter.

 _They're suicidal,_ Garen thought as he knocked another one out of the sky.

The _Concordance_ was getting closer and closer to higher orbit. Garen didn't want to find out whether the orbital defences had also been commandeered to attack them, so he keyed in a new frequency in his comm and said, " _Concordance_ , if you don't make the jump to hyperspace soon we're going to find out whether or not those orbital canons are functioning properly."

"Understood, master Jedi," the shaky voice of a young man said.

 _Stars_ , realisation struck Garen speechless. It hadn't hit him until that moment that it wasn't only the Jedi affected by this sudden and aggressive attack. The innocent Temple workers, Force-bereft people who dedicated their lives to helping the Jedi Order function, were caught in this disaster as well He wondered how many of the people evacuating on the ships were now being forced to flee and leave their families behind.

A breath later the _Concordance_ vanished from sight. Garen prayed that the jump sequence completed safely, then turned his starfighter around and headed back to the Temple.

One ship had made it off world. Many more still had to make the journey.

* * *

Dust elegantly flowed down shafts of light, creating soft illusions that travelled between Obi-Wan and the soldiers opposite him. The Jedi felt the subtle shift in the air as gravity pulled the minuscule particles to the floor. He heard his own heartbeat, and the metallic twang of safeties being switched off and blaster rifles being charged. He felt the vibrations from his lightsaber, more than he heard them. And he felt the Force coiling around him in a firm, bolstering embrace.

The slow passing of time before a dire moment wasn't foreign to Obi-Wan. Logically, he knew that time didn't truly slow down, and that it was his sensitivity to the Force that enabled him to experience this warped sense of time. This brief moment, before all hell would break loose, existed solely between him and the Force.

The unspoken message, _We are with you_ , resonated through Obi-Wan.

For a brief flicker, as Obi-Wan watched the soldiers raise the barrels of their rifles towards him, he could have sworn he felt Qui-Gon Jinn's presence.

He stepped to the side and raised his lightsaber before the first shot was fired. Obi-Wan could see everything with a clarity he'd never before experienced. Each bolt of plasma travelling toward him was a slow moving target, and each soldier was little more than a statue.

The Jedi master flowed from parry into block, dodging and deflecting as he advanced on the white-armoured soldiers in front of him. Many soldiers fell before Obi-Wan even reached them, dying by the very plasma fired from their own guns as the Jedi angled the parries to deflect the bolts straight back at them.

Dust and debris was joined by corpses, and while Obi-Wan detested taking part in such slaughter, he knew these men would not hesitate to kill him. And then what stood between these soldiers and the evacuation ships?

Other Jedi were already fighting and dying to delay the invading army. He could feel their lights dim into nothingness as they fell. It pulled heavily at his heart, but he pushed the burden aside, knowing that if he did not he would fall as well. There was no room for distraction when so outnumbered.

Obi-Wan's blade danced through the crowded hallway, meeting with little resistance as its blue intensity cut through plastoid and flesh alike. Clad in the distinctive white armour it would have been easy for his eyes to deceive his mind into believing they were merely droids. But their cries, the smell of burning flesh, and their Force-presences dispelled even the briefest attempt to pretend.

No, he would face and accept what was real. These were men, not droids, and they were under orders. They'd been bred to follow orders. Obi-Wan very much doubted that they had personal vendettas against the Jedi Order. They were pawns on the dejarik board of an evil man.

 _We are all pawns,_ Obi-Wan concluded as he severed the barrel of another blaster rifle before knocking two soldiers up into the air and back against their peers. _But I don't understand why Palpatine chose such a reckless gambit. Why command a military force to attack the Jedi Order, unprovoked and in broad daylight? It has to be all over the holonet by now._

His wandering thoughts nearly cost him. A thermal detonator sailed towards him from his blind spot, and it was only the vibrations in the air that forewarned him of the projectile. It was as he raised his hand to Force-fling it away that he realised how adaptable these soldiers were. In a very risky move the soldier had timed his throw down to the smallest of margins.

The moment Obi-Wan touched it with the Force, the detonator exploded.

Yet the Force had not left Obi-Wan's side. With as little warning as he'd had his reflexes proved efficient enough to save his life. Creating an invisible cocoon of Force energies around him he padded himself against the explosive power of the thermal detonator. The blast sent him crashing into the wall, which buckled beneath the concussive force of the explosion. More duracrete splintered away in chunks, pinning Obi-Wan to the floor and covering him in a thick layer of dust.

He coughed, dazed, ears ringing. Opening his eyes he flinched and shut them again against the shaking visuals. He coughed once more, tasting blood this time. Voices penetrated the monotonous ringing, their words muted but clear.

"That should have gotten him good."

"Yeah, Jedi or not, you don't just get up after that."

"That was a real ripper, Captain."

"Don't get cocky. Caution still advised."

Obi-Wan breathed through the pain in his chest and opened his eyes again. A veil of dust hung over the area, but he recognised where he was. He'd been blown through the wall and into the refectory nearest the residential wing of the Temple. It was a large space, and if he didn't move quickly the soldiers would no doubt surround him, and then kill him.

With more effort than it should have taken Obi-Wan pushed the duracrete into the air with the Force. No longer pinned by the weighty chunks he rolled to the side, and dropped the broken pieces to the floor once he was clear.

"Quiet! Did you hear that?"

"Hold your position and switch to thermal imaging until the dust clears."

Obi-Wan pushed himself to his knees. The grey veil between him and the soldiers was beginning to diminish, and he could barely breathe without folding himself in half in an attempt to ward off the pain. Blood rolled down the right side of his face and dripped down his chin. His tunics were torn in places, as was the skin underneath. Red fanned out over the cream colours. He knew he was in no condition to keep fighting.

He stared at the lightsaber still clutched in his right hand.

 _Did I buy them enough time?_

"I'll be damned. . . Captain, look. He's still alive."

"Not for long, boys. We have our orders."

Never in his life had Obi-Wan given up. As a boy he'd come close, when, on the planet Melida/Daan, the Force had appeared so far out of reach. Yet even then he'd stood on his own two feet and found a way to move forward. Around him now the Force spoke to him loud and clear as the crystal heart of his lightsaber.

 _It is not yet your time._

Obi-Wan closed his eyes. The words conveyed such certainty and confidence, and the Force swirling around him felt strangely like how he remembered Qui-Gon's presence. His breath caught, throat constricting in wonder, relief, emotion. Whether it truly was Qui-Gon, or simply his own mind or the Force attempting to bolster him, the result was a flood of determination.

The Jedi pushed himself to his feet, pain numbed by sheer force of will.

"He's getting up!"

"Open fire, lads."

Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber and the dance began all over again. Except this time his goal shifted from delay to escape. He sensed that he'd bought the evacuation all the time he was physically capable of. The only options remaining open to him now were either death or escape.

And it was not yet his time.

Obi-Wan used the Force to flip the switches on the refectory's service countertops. He reasoned that tables designed to keep food warm would surely interfere with the soldiers' thermal imaging. He then turned his focus on himself. All Jedi learned to control their own body temperatures, to varying degrees depending on species and ability. It was a useful skill to have when one could unexpectedly find themselves at the mercy of frigid ice worlds or suffocating deserts. Obi-Wan had never been exceptionally proficient in the skill, but he could lower it well enough to blend in with the quickly heating air.

All he needed was a moment.

"Captain the room's heating up. We've got to clear this dust or we'll lose sight of him again."

Opportunity rose to meet Obi-Wan when a soldier hurled a concussive grenade into the room. Obi-Wan forced it to change direction mid-flight and quickly deactivated his lightsaber. The grenade sent out shockwaves that knocked the troopers off their feet. It also served its purpose in clearing much of the grey veil hanging in the air.

Obi-Wan used the scant seconds the heated air and shockwave gave him to slip unseen into a service hatch meant for droids. It led to a larger maintenance corridor where a set of stairs could lead him all the way down to the Temple's foundations.

The sounds of battle and frantic troopers grew more distant as Obi-Wan quickly moved down the long service corridor. Pipes and cables ran along the roof above him, marking pathways to power cells and generator rooms. Obi-Wan stepped through a doorway marked for waste access. The stairs lay just beyond it.

He slid the doorway closed behind him, and came to a stop at the top of the stairs. He was tired, head aching, chest tight. He wanted to sit down and close his eyes. Instead Obi-Wan pressed on and began the descent into the very foundations of the Temple, where he knew he would find at least a maintenance vehicle.

Beyond that, he knew not.

* * *

The vacuum of space was quiet, but not void of life. Yoda stared out at the expanse from the safety of the bridge on the large Jedi vessel, known by its moniker, _The Tranquillity._

Countless stars were scattered in all directions, and if one were Force-sensitive and calm of mind, one could learn to sense the currents of the Force. It flowed everywhere and through everything. It had been centuries since Yoda learned to sense the ebb and flow of the web of Force energies. In some places the currents ran weak, as though the strife suffered there repelled the very essence that once gave it vibrant life. Other places overflowed, the energies almost too strong to bear. These places were rare Force nexuses where convergences forged places of power. The Jedi Temple on Coruscant had been such a place, once.

Yoda shook his head sadly. The strength of the Force nexus on Coruscant had diminished over the centuries. Attuned to the Force as Yoda was, the change had been so subtle that it had escaped his notice almost entirely.

Perhaps if he'd been more attentive he would not be sensing the great disturbance in the Force on Coruscant now. Far away as they were after the short hyperspace journey, he could still feel the lives of Jedi fading.

Many had been left behind.

"We saved as many as could, Master Yoda," Mace Windu said, having sensed the old Jedi's thoughts.

"High the cost was," Yoda said, ears drooping even as he kept his chin raised high and his eyes on the stars. "Missing, how many ships still are?"

"Three freighters from Obroa-Skai have rendezvoused with us, and one from Tanaab," Mace sighed. "That's less than half, and they are all asking for answers. There is much uncertainty and fear spreading among us."

"Remember their training they will," Yoda said, voice brimming with confidence. "Shaken the Jedi are, but allow this fear to fester we will not."

Yoda looked at their reflections in the transparisteel. Outwardly Mace was calm, but Yoda could sense his disquiet. He sensed that there were questions the much younger man wanted to ask. There would be no answers for him, Yoda knew.

Jedi did not control fate. A Jedi accepted things as they were. It was a simple enough sentiment, but difficult in practice. It required an understanding and acceptance of one's own limitations, as well as an appreciation of the free will of others.

Free will.

Yoda frowned as the meaning of those two simple words were lost in the passing days' events. Free will was inherent to all sentients, and inevitably that meant that there existed those who would use their free will to manipulate the wills of others. There were those who used their free will to harm others for personal gains.

Yoda accepted this.

He would continue to lead the Jedi in the path set before them by their ancestors. He would continue to teach compassion, even in the face of great tragedy. He would not falter now.

"Wait much longer we cannot," Yoda said. "I sense the time is near."

"I will alert the pilots to stand by for your directions," Mace said before bowing neatly and moving to the comm console.

It was only a matter of time before they were pursued and found. The hyperlanes were all patrolled by more than just pirates, and if the Sith lord now commanded an army he certainly would not hesitate to use it to scour the galaxy in search of the remaining Jedi.

For now, the Jedi needed to disappear. And that meant they couldn't use the hyperlanes. They would navigate the galaxy the same way Jedi of long ago did; by using the Force as a guiding path. It was how masters still travelled to Ilum. It was how the Jedi kept certain sacred places secret. And it was how Yoda would now lead the Jedi Order to safety. With no hyperlanes leading to their destination it was the only way to disappear from the Sith's view.

The irony did not escape Yoda. For a thousand years the Sith had been in hiding, and when they finally revealed themselves they orchestrated the very near downfall of the Jedi Order. Now the Jedi were forced to disappear, their numbers thinned, and Yoda found his mind drifting towards thoughts, not of vengeance, but of ridding the galaxy of the Sith nonetheless.

Were they really so different?

Perhaps motive meant everything. Perhaps it meant nothing. Perhaps it was all the same in the Force.

Yoda resolved to meditate on it until the Force guided him to the right answer.

"To the pilots relay these coordinates," Yoda said.

* * *

 _Citizens of our great Republic, it is with a heavy heart that I address you this night. Earlier today a great battle took place on Coruscant. The Jedi have betrayed the Republic it has so loyally served for near countless generations. Our intelligence network discovered that the Jedi Order has aligned itself with Count Dooku and his Separatist alliance, and were planning to overthrow our democracy._

 _When the proof of this terrible betrayal was laid bare before me, I felt I had no choice but to act. The Jedi are known for their mystical abilities, including the ability to read and influence minds. I could not allow them to sow discord among us while portraying a façade of peace._

 _It turns out that the droid attack on the Jedi temple was staged by Count Dooku, and the Jedi themselves, in an attempt to garner sympathy for their cause. It is no secret that Count Dooku was once a Jedi Master. From what we have learned we now understand that he left the Order at the command of the Jedi High Council, to pursue this fracturing of our Republic._

 _It is reprehensible, and it deeply saddens my heart to know that an organisation we have entrusted peace and stability within the Republic to, has decided to abandon and betray our values._

 _I made an executive decision upon discovering these horrible truths, and enlisted the help of an army to arrest the Jedi. Here on Coruscant they resisted heavily, using their mysterious Force abilities to decimate the brave men I sent to bring them to justice. The Jedi chose to flee, and I as—_

A single shot from a blaster pistol was fired into a holoterminal near the entrance of one of Coruscant's many underbelly alleys, instantly silencing the voice of Chancellor Palpatine.

"Oi, I was listening to that," a human man spoke with a gravelly, indignant voice. He wore a full-body suit, the kind one might find on a soldier or mercenary. His synthleather jacket was worn and scuffed, his dark hair unkempt, and would mislead the casual observer to think him a simple ruffian. But the shiny new gauntlets, the pistols strapped to his sides, and especially the thick scar running from cheek to chin showed that he was not a man to be trifled with.

"Kriff off, Rowek. You've heard it a million times by now," his teevan companion spat thick white mucous onto the already filthy street. He holstered his pistol, drew his black cloak tighter around his body, and glared at the man beside him with his one good eye. "Three days later and that poodoo is still being looped on every frequency."

"Of course it is, Shen," Rowek said, kicking a plastoid can ahead of him as they walked. He widened his eyes and made a mock dramatic gesture, saying, "It was a _huge_ betrayal, after all."

"I got no time for political intrigues unless it gives me a fat paycheck," Shen grouched. "And we've been stuck on this shiny rock for three days now, all because they locked it down to coral any little Jedi who didn't escape with their big evacuation. Bantha poodoo. We've lost our bounty because of this kriffing mess."

"There will be other bounties," Rowek shrugged. "There always are. Besides, the travel bans are lifting today. Soon we'll be in hyperspace, and then you can complain about how long space travel takes without a class one hyperdrive."

"Shut up, Rowek," Shen sneered and turned his head away to avoid looking at his chipper companion. His eyes caught on a vehicle parked awkwardly in an alley. "Look at that. . . driver must have been drunk out of his mind."

Rowek stopped and looked down the alley. "Some kind of maintenance vehicle," he said. "Repulsors are still humming. Let's check it out." He didn't wait for Shen's reply, and immediately strolled into the alley. He stopped at the driver's side door and looked through the transparisteel window. "Holy chiszspit, Shen. There's a man in there."

Shen scoffed and walked closer. "Why in the nine hells should that be surprising?" He glanced through the window. "Oh kriff," he laughed, halfway between amusement and discomfort. "He looks dead."

Rowek stepped forward and yanked on the door controls. It opened and gave them an unobstructed view of the man lying on his left side across the front seats. His face was covered in dried blood, as were his tunics.

"Yeah, looks pretty dead to me," Shen said. "See if he's got any creds on him."

"Harsh," Rowek grinned and stepped forward. He started to pat the poor man down, but stopped almost immediately. "He's warm, Shen. Might still be alive," he said, frowing. Rowek placed two fingers beneath the man's jaw and felt a slow, but steady pulse. "Holy chiszspit, Shen. He _is_ alive."

"Just check for creds and then leave him," Shen said, impatient. "He's not our responsibility."

"Have a heart," Rowek grinned, eyes shining as he started to drag the man out of the vehicle. Less than gently he lay the man on the filthy duracrete and rolled him on his back. A shine caught his eye and Rowek did a double-take, not quite believing what he was seeing. "I'm either high as a starship, or that's a lightsaber."

Shen, who had turned away and started walking back out the alley, paused. "What?" He said, then slowly made his way back to Rowek's side. He looked down at the prone man. Traditional tunics, lightsaber, looks like he'd been in a war zone. "I'll be damned," Shen whispered. "It's a Jedi."

"How much do you think the Republic would pay for him?" Rowek asked.

"You mean assuming he survives?" Shen said. "Look at him. He's half dead and probably on his way to being all dead soon. He must have been just laying there for three days already. He's not getting up again, and a dead Jedi is worthless. But I bet we can fetch a high price on the black market for that weapon of his."

"But what if he _does_ survive?" Rowek persisted. "You know I heard a story once of a Jedi falling off a mountain and breaking both his legs. He meditated and healed his own bones in just a few days. Walked out of there good as new."

"It's just stories, Rowek," Shen said. "Don't be an idiot."

"What if it's not," Rowek urged. "What if he's in a deep Jedi mystical meditation right now, healing his body. How else do you explain him still being alive? Look at him!" Rowek pulled at a tear in the Jedi's pants to reveal the wound beneath. "See? I'm right! If he got that wound three days ago, there is no way its healing should be this far along already."

Shen glanced at the wound. It was scabbed over, the size of the cut well diminished and surrounded by pinkish, quickly healing flesh. He sighed, but could admit his companion had a point. "All right. Say you're right. I doubt the Republic would pay us anything for him," he said. "But a Jedi has always been a rare commodity. Now that they are quite literally an endangered species I'm willing to bet the Zygerians will pay a pretty price for him."

"Slavers?" Rowek's grin slipped off his face. "You want to sell him to slavers?"

"Why not?" Shen shrugged one shoulder. "It'll be the highest payout we'll ever receive."

"Yeah but," Rowek stood to his full height and rolled back on his heels. "We're bounty hunters, not slavers."

"Look, Rowek," Shen held his hands in the air. "I know you don't want to tread near the slave trade, but—"

"We hunt criminals," Rowek said.

"You think the Republic is going to care that we sold a Jedi into slavery? They want to bring the Jedi to justice. The way I see it, it'll be the same thing," Shen placed his hands in his pockets. "The difference is we'll get paid."

Rowek's conflicted feelings played out on his face. He clicked his tongue in annoyance, then sighed. His decision was made.

"We're going to need sedatives."

* * *

END OF BOOK II

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading. The first chapter of Resolve III will be posted next weekend as a new story. If you don't want to miss it, be sure to hit the follow author button so you'll be notified when it's posted. Alternatively, visit my profile next weekend to find Resolve III. To all the guests I haven't been able to respond to; Thanks for the kind words. To those I haven't responded to over the holiday period; Apologies, it's been a busy time.

Book III is finished. Only editing remains. So expect my weekly updates to continue for the foreseeable future.

See you next weekend and happy new year.


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